Sweet Release
by Bibliophile Nincompoop
Summary: After him, no other man could satisfy the hunger the dark man left his lovers with. They called him Casanova. ShikaTema
1. Casanova

Title: Sweet Release

Summary: Rumors began telling of a man who seduced woman into the shadows and gave the pleasure beyond any comprehension. He would stay till they fell asleep and be gone in the morning. After him no other man could satisfy the hunger the dark man left his lovers with. They called him Casanova.

Author: Bibliophile Nincompoop

--

_Nostalgia is a seductive liar_

_-George Wildman_

--

Introduction: Casanova

There was never a day so dark in history. Though the skies were kissed by sunshine, the wind flirted with the trees, and the birds never sang so beautifully. So many joined together today, to cry, to mourn, to thank. Of course, at funerals even the strongest of men cried, and most did. Long time friends said goodbye and swore that they wish they could've taken his place. But Shikamaru was they only man who would've leapt for the slightest possibility. His mentor. His friend. But he wouldn't say goodbye. Not now, not for everyone to see how weak one person could make him.

Shikamaru fiddled with _his _silver lighter, lit his death and smiled. It was disgusting. He wanted to cough and hack up the vile chemicals wearing away his insides, but it gave him the slightest amount of peace. He felt his heart steady in his chest and jittery hands relaxed. Is this why Asuma smoked? And for those deadly five minutes, the shadow ninja felt nothing. But as soon as the nicotine was gone, his pain returned.

For the next few months, smoking and missions were his vices. They took away the cruel visions of his Asuma's death. Killing was the best though. When he had his shadow suffocating and making his victim beg and plead, all he picture was Hidan. Killing that bastard over and over again. But in the end, not even those could stop his genius mind.

So he tried drinking. It worked for his dad, the apple must not fall from the tree. It helped not as much as his missions, but it helped. He went out to the bars at least twice a week. Booze made others sob about their troubles, Shikamaru just made sure to drink past that point. Sketchy people always seemed to flock to bars. You had your drunks of course, men who whispered in the corner, and your prostitutes.

Usually he would avoid all of them…usually. Until she sat next to him. Short blonde hair, deep green eyes, deadly curves. She looked familiar somehow, but he didn't know her. She was older, maybe by ten years or so, you could tell by the wrinkles forming at the sides of her eyes and under. She eyed him, a million thoughts could be read on her face, she watched him as if she was waiting for the appropriate moment to spring her trap. Seven drinks later, she pounced.

She scooted toward him, and struck up a conversation. Shikamaru didn't really care, all he wanted to do was down a couple more drinks and go home till she whispered provocatively into his ear, "Would you like to take me home?"

He didn't remember saying yes. He didn't remember opening the door, let alone walking home. But he remembered stripping off both of their clothes and letting her excavate his body. He had never felt anything like this before, he was completely virgin. He touched and explored her body, making her shiver and moan. But when he entered her, he thought he would die. His blood turned to fire, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and every muscle in his body hardened. Her nails were digging into his flesh and she made husky moans. When he went slow, his humanity was sucked away and his breath was stolen. But when he went wild, putting every ounce of his strength into each thrust, he was walking on cloud nine. She came screaming and biting, and he followed. He was dead, he must be. No horrible thoughts ran through his head. The bloody screams of his sensei were silenced. Nothing.

That's where he found his new vice.** Sex.**

But unlike the rest, sex kept away the depression, smoking, drinking, and the killing. Sex was the safest. Once a month, even a little longer. It was great. Sex was a high, that never faded with time, it never diminished.

Everyone noticed his change. Shikamaru began to smile again, laugh. He was back. He got promoted to jonin, and was away a lot for his missions, which he met many more women. Rumors began telling of a man who seduced woman into the shadows and gave them pleasure beyond any comprehension. He would stay till they fell asleep and be gone in the morning. After him no other man could satisfy the hunger the dark man left his lovers with. They called him _Casanova_.


	2. Three Years Later

Title: Sweet Release

Summary: After him, no other man could satisfy the hunger the dark man left his lovers with. They called him Casanova. (ShikaTema)

Author: Bibliophile Nincompoop

--

"The ax forgets, the tree remembers."

~Maya Angelou

--

Chapter 2: Three Years Later

-----

"I don't understand." Ino pouted. "I am the most beautiful girl in the entire village! Why doesn't he come after me."

Chouji devoured the beef on his plate, "Why would you want some stranger to seduce you?" he gulped his food and blushed lightly, "Wouldn't it be more special with someone you love and know?"

"Oh phooey with that Chouji. I want to be swept off my feet by the sexy Casanova." She gushed.

Shikamaru supported his face on his hand, smirking. "Maybe you're not his type."

"Sexy is every man's type, Shikamaru." She scoffed, "You wouldn't know, because women are too troublesome for you."

He chuckled, if she only knew. Ino was a sin, well actually she is practically all of them. If vanity was a choice of the seven, she'd be the overlord. She thinks that the world revolves around her, and that other's don't have lives outside her own. Every man likes to fool around with a drop dead gorgeous girl, but you don't marry that type of girl. Ino will never settle for one man, because she finds joy in the chase. If she only knew that the only man who would ever truly love her, for more than just her looks, was wolfing down beef right now.

"What if Casanova was Chouji?"

"Never." Ino rolled her eyes. "He hardly has the nerve to talk to girls."

"What if he was me?"

"You're the laziest guy on earth, I bet you're to lazy to even get _it_ up."

Shikamaru merely shrugged at the low blow. He stood up and stretched his arms. "See you guys later."

"Where you going?" Chouji mumbled through his overstuffed cheeks.

"I have to go to the Hokage's office, another troublesome mission." And hopefully one out of town.

Like usual, he wanted to be late. He nearly strived to be tardy, almost, but eventually he found himself in front of the huge looming mahogany doors. He knocked once, and her gruff voice beckoned him in. Hopefully this mission wouldn't be too troublesome.

----

"Shikamaru do you understand your mission?" Tsunade repeated.

He looked dumbstruck, "She's alive?"

"No Shikamaru, I am assigning you to a mission with a dead girl." She wittily added, "Of course she is!"

"But... I thought..." he stuttered.

The Hokage sighed, "Evidently those ninja we caught didn't know that when they left her, she was still alive."

_Flashback_

_"Man, I am hungry." Naruto grabbed his stomach almost painfully._

_"Me too." Kiba chimed in._

_"Me three." Said Chouji munching on some barbecue chips._

_Neji just crossed his arms and grunted, "It's your call Shikamaru."_

_Shikamaru shrugged, "Troublesome. Through the forest is a small village if we..."_

_"Whoo hoo!" yelled Naruto as he race through the forest._

_"What did I do to deserve this?" He sighed._

_The forest around them rushed by like a wild current, no sound could really be heard, but smell on the other hand...__Kiba halted to a complete stop, and nearly doubled over. _

_"Kiba!" Naruto yelled, "You okay? Ugh! Whats that smell?" Naruto pinched his nose._

_"There are two guys up ahead." Neji smoothly responded, is bakuygan was activated._

_They stealthily approached the men, one was a darker man, bald, and carried a extremely large spiked war hammer. The other man, who Shikamaru guessed was the leader, had bright blonde hair and was rippling with muscles. Well, they both were. These men looked like they trained their bodies since infantry. _

_"Three months of that bitch, and I kind of miss her." Said the darker man. "I mean she was a good fuck."_

_"Such harsh words," the leader tisked, "But i do agree, making her scream was like angels singing to my ears."_

_The dark man frowned, "But the bitch did kill four of our best guys."_

_"They can be replaced." The blonde smirked, "The best women, are the strong ones. Breaking them is so much fun. They all eventually crack, especially when all their bones are."_

_The laughed at this, and patted each other on the back._

_"This is revolting." Neji sneered._

_They nodded in agreement._

_"Is that what that smell was? Blood and sex?" Naruto asked Kiba._

_"No." He shook is head, "Blood and rape." _

_Kiba quickly plugged his nose as a gust of wind blew past them._

_It blew the men's scent to them, it smelt like sweat, blood, and... lilies? Shikamaru's eyes shot open, and everyone looked perplexed._

_"She was so beautiful." the leader chuckled, "I wonder what that Suna girl's brothers will think if we sent them her body shredded to pieces."_

_Temari..._

_End of flashback _

Needless to say, it took all of the boys to stop Shikamaru from killing the men. They brought them back with them, and those disgusting vile men smiled as they told every single detail of what they did to Temari. It was sickening. They didn't know her name. What color her eyes were. They just remembered what they touched and how they touched it. Despicable! They didn't pick her because she was beautiful, powerful, or intelligent, they chose her because she was there. It was a moment of opportunity, they were horny and she was a woman. It hurt Shikamaru, he let another person he held so dear die.

"Shikamaru." The Hokage sighed, "I understand you care about Temari, but you must realize that we have bigger problems in our mists. The village is in danger, the land of lightening is planning an attack, that could wipe out half of our village."

"My mission is to infiltrate Kumo and pose as a fellow ninja and receive the dirt about our village, along with my pseudo wife Temari." Shikamaru stated, "I know."

She held out a manila folder towards him, but as he reached she pulled away, "No slip ups. She will meet you at the gates tomorrow morning." He nodded and she handed him the folder.

Later that night, he went in search of a woman. He was worried about this, to say the least. What if Temari found out about his dirty little secret? If anyone were to, it definitely would be her, nothing got past her hawk eyes. What if they were in the village hidden in the clouds for more than a month... he would definitely need his uh 'fullfilment'. He felt dirty whenever he thought of what he was doing. Sure all these women wanted it, he used every type of protection he could, but Chouji's words get to him every time _"Wouldn't it be more special with someone you love and know?" _Of course it would, that's all he really wanted.

He saw several girls that would do well, but none that lit the candle. He even saw Ino, which made him burst out laughing. She was dressed very provocatively, and she was tapping her foot impatiently. Some girls... Eventually he found her, a fiery red head, with subtle curves.

But in the morning, he would deal with, golden blonde, with deadly curves.

---

Sorry this one is short too. And this one was kinda gruesome, it ties into a later chapter. Next chapter will be longer. Hope you enjoyed.


	3. Rudolf and the Bedhog

Title: Sweet Release

Summary: After him, no other man could satisfy the hunger the dark man left his lovers with. They called him Casanova. (ShikaTema)

Author: Bibliophile Nincompoop

--

_Men talk of killing time, while time quietly kills them. _

_~Dion Boucicault  
_

--

Chapter 3: Rudolf and the Bed-hog

Shikamaru drudged down the road, **alone.**

"Stupid troublesome woman." He shifted the pack on his back, "I was only an hour late, she didn't have to leave me."

_Lazy ass. Tea shop. Now._ Was all her letter said.

"She's lucky that I am a genius." he grunted, "If I were a regular guy, I wouldn't know what the heck she was talking about." Shikamaru remembered walking in endless rain, in the Land of Rice Patties, also known as the Land of Sound. And after three hours, a tea shop came out of no where. The old woman who owned the shop, lived on the upper level, and offered him to stay the night. What she didn't care to mention was that she only had one extra room, with only one bed, and there was already a blonde occupying it. It would have been helpful to know that, because when he opened the door Temari was changing. Shikamaru slept on the floor, and not by choice.

He mumbled curses and swears to himself about her, but mostly the summer heat. Shikamaru was kind of glad for this mission, when it hits noon in Konohathe temperature is roughly around 101 degrees, and the land of lightening is at a high elevation its much cooler, plus he is closer to clouds. And she hated the cold, it was her least favorite type of weather, sweet revenge. Temari often told him that she preferred the desert heat rather than Konoha's heat. Her heat was dry, smoldering but dry. But Konoha's heat is humid, muggy, she complained about feeling the moisture clinging to her skin. It's true but he rather live in Konoha than Suna any day.

He had another ten hours, until he would reach the border. Another ten hours till he slept. Another ten hours till he saw her.

----

Shikamaru emerged from the forest, covered nearly from head to toe in mud,and twigs and leaves strung through his hair. He was not having a good day. While looking at his beloved clouds he fell down a hill falling face first in questionable smelling mud. He was chased half a mile by some strange giant monkey thing. He ran into a caravan of thugs and thieves, and they attacked of course. Stepped in a beehive while running in the trees, and once again followed by bees. Walked through a flower field that was overrun with pollen and his sinuses were acting up. And as soon as he crossed the border, the rain began to pour down, and grim and the muck washed away. His hair was pulled down from it pony tail, and it was glued to his face and neck. Shikamaru trudged through the mud, "Why does it only rain when I come through this troublesome place? Stupid Rain. Stupid Temari. Troublesome."

A couple hours later, just like before, the tea shop came into view. He threw open the doors and his eyes shot around the room looking for the troublesome woman. But she wasn't in sight, the shop was completely empty, other than the same elderly woman from before. She looked towards him and shuffled towards him.

"Your friend has been expecting you for some time now. But I am afraid she isn't feeling all that well." she woman looked upwards, "You should go check on the poor thing."

Shikamaru scoffed to himself, _I didn't think it was possible to use the words poor thing and Temari in the same sentence. Unless your talking about her victim._

"I was caught by surprise when it started to rain today." She mused, "It hasn't rained in the past six months. We needed a good pour."

_Just my damn luck. _"Thank you." he nodded and went up the stairs, each step creaking. This place is ancient, Shikamaru was surprised that it was still standing. He went down the hallway and knocked softly on the door on the right. No one answered, so he opened the door. "Please don't let her have sharp objects."

Shikamaru peeked inside, her pack was laying on the floor but she was no where in sight. He set down his bag and sprawled out on the bed. It was so warm, his eyes started to get droopy, until he heard a series of powerful sneezes coming from the bathroom. _Troublesome woman. _She hummed a soft melodyHe heard the squeaky shower nozzle turn off, and the door slowly open.

"Oh." she said under her breath and covered her body with the door, and just peeked her head out. "Shikamaru, are you awake?"

"Hmmm?" he wanted to fake it at least, so he wouldn't be in as much trouble. He opened his eyes and looked at her, and couldn't help but smile. It had been so long since he had seen her. She was still beautiful as always; Her face was flush from her hot shower, her golden hair fell at her tan shoulders, but she adorned a bright red nose. He almost expected her to sprout antlers and lead Santa's sleigh. She sneezed again, and nearly knocked her off balance.

She sniffled, her eyes slightly getting puffy, "Can you hand me my clothes?"

"No." he grunted.

She growled at him, and he chuckled in response. "Its been two minutes and your already picking a fight, just hand me my damn clothes!" Shikamaru didn't answer, he just turned away from her facing the wall. "Fine just don't turn around, or I swear..."

"Whatever." He listened to her open the door. He pictured her walking towards him wearing nothing but a towel, bending over and grabbing a fresh pair clothing. Dropping her towel and... he shook his head slightly. _Ugh, I sound like a pervert, troublesome. _But he heard the soft thud of the towel falling on the floor and he couldn't help but think about what she looked like.

"I get the bed." she said while packing all her belongings back into her sack. He turned and looked at her, she was wearing a long-sleeved red shirt, and matching patching pajama bottoms that had 'bad attitude' scattered around.

"To bad." he shifted onto his side and propped his head on his hand. "I am willing to share."

Temari scowled, "I don't share."

"Oh how did you pass kindergarten?" he mused.

"I threatened the teacher, now get out of the bed." She said forcefully, but her scariness disappeared when she sneezed again with a girly Ah Choo. She grabbed a tissue off the night stand and dabbed her nose, "Come on Shikamaru, please."

He looked at her face, she almost looked pitiful. "Fine, troublesome."

Shikamaru crawled out of the bed and set up his sleeping bag on the floor. She jumped into the bed and laid under the sheets. Shikamaru went into the bathroom and took a quick shower to clean off, and got ready for bed. When he opened the door, Temari was fast asleep looking like an angel. He came close and just stared at her, she had lost some weight, probably from her recovery. Her mouth just slightly open, and her hair spread out like wings. He would have let her had the bed, whether she asked pleasantly, was indifferent, or even if she was forceful. The pineappled haired man laid down in his sleeping bag, and laid there till he fell asleep.

_"Shikamaru" she called out to him._

_He looked around, nothing but white, "Temari? Where are you?"_

_"Shikamaru" she called again._

_"Shika..."_

"Shikamaru." he opened his eyes and she leaning over the bed looking at him.

He sat up quickly, and he jumbled out, "What? What?"

"Come lay in bed, you've been shivering and chattering your teeth." She said softly placing her hand on his shoulder, he looked at her hand and she recoiled, and she looked away. "I mean how the hell am I supposed to sleep with that damn noise?"

He stood up and he felt her eyes on him, and he felt exposed. Wearing just his black shirt and green boxers. Shikamaru quickly slipped under the sheets, and felt ten times warmer. "Thanks."

They laid in silence for awhile, both thinking of the other, both wondering what the other was thinking. "Temari, you awake?"

She turned and faced him, "No."

"How are you?" He asked. To any other person, they would have thought about their current physical condition, but this was meant for something else...

She closed her eyes, "I'm better, but at times it's still hard." She didn't lie to him. She didn't fake a smile to make him feel better, there was no point, he could always tell.

"Is there anything I need to avoid doing?" he asked.

She shook her head, "I don't want you being on edge around me, if you do something that..." she searched for the right word, "agitates me, I will just learn to deal with it. The world won't stop for me, I have to go along with it."

Shikamaru nodded, he understood her seasonings. He thought about what those men said all the time, they haunted his thoughts of her. He would have ripped them apart, inside out, up and down, parallel vertical, any way he could.

"Lets not talk about that anymore. We are getting up early, get some rest." she settled herself in bed, but she shivered slightly. He slowly wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. Her voice was hesitant, "Shikamaru.."

"I won't do anything, you know that." _God she feels good_, "We're both cold, just be thankful troublesome woman."

She chuckled, and rested her head in the crook of his neck, "In the morning you're dead."

"You love me too much to kill me."

She socked him in the chest, and he faked that it hurt. "You wish."

They laid in bed, listening to the soft thumps of rain on the window and the wind howl through the trees, until finally Shikamaru's breath evened and slowed. Temari opened her eyes and looked at the man holding her. _You sure have changed._

His face was sharper more defined. His body was definitely more muscular, he would have no difficulty with hand to hand combat. _You're cuter too._She brushed a strand of hair from his face, and he stirred lightly but leaned closer to her warmth. He was her best friend, which is sad to say because of how she treats him. Shikamaru was the only person to trust her, other than Naruto, after the invasion. But he still brings it up during their arguments, most of which the two of them enjoyed. Their friendship was based on intelligence, which many didn't match up to their intellect. They agreed on more things than they disagreed, and both had open minds. But Shikamaru was a lazy bum, and she was a ruthless bitch. But they completed each other in some strange way. At one point they had tried to "date", but the distance made it to hard, and they mutually decided to end it. She loved him, she has for a long time, but he didn't want her. And they were happy that way, just being friends.

"Goodnight." she said holding him closer to him.

_Goodnight Temari._


	4. Hello Kumokagure

Title: Sweet Release

Summary: At one point in time he would've killed himself before getting involved with a troublesome woman like her, but now it's all he could dream of. She was everything to him, but he had foolishly let her slip through his careless fingers. ShikaTema

Author: Bibliophile Nincompoop

--

_All marriages are happy. It's the living together afterwards that causes all the trouble._

_~Raymond Hull_

--

Chapter 4: Hello Kumokagure

The blonde wasn't much of a morning person, though she woke relatively early every day. She could be considered a grouch or a raging psychopath when she awoke from her beauty sleep, which she was admittingly. But this morning was different, she was so warm and felt so secure, that she never wanted to leave the spot she was in. But unfortunately the call of nature told her to get up. So when her eyes forced open, the blonde was quite surprised to see Shikamaru still holding on to her, the most peaceful smile she'd ever seen on his face, it made her cold dying heart flutter. It took her awhile to force her way out of the man's dead grip arms. Temari had to kick him out of the bed, draggin her in tow.

Naturally he woke up grumpy, as any person would with that kind of wake up call. And directing his foul moud towards her then made her grumpy. So needless to say they were not happy, especially with each other.

Shikamaru grunted, he hated this mission already. He took in great gasps of air, if he were to take a normal breath he'd find himself squirming on the floor like a fish out of water. Every step he took felt like forever, he looked up and saw that Temari was already twenty feet, give or take, ahead of him. How can she be doing so well? Konoha is about fifty feet above sea level, and Suna is well way below sea level. He felt incompetent, just like he always does around her. He felt his body swaying back and forth, and he felt light headed. But he wasn't about to tell Temari that, he was a man.

Not only that but earlier his was practically boasting that he'd have to carry her up the mountain, because she would be to fatigued. He huffed while taking a few more steps, and dropped to his knees. His head was swimming. Nothing really made sense, his vision was blurry and his hearing dulled into mumbles.

"Shikamaru are you ok?" She looked back at him, not even in the least bit fazed.

The now_ low _pony-tailed ninja opened his mouth to reply, but his head felt someone smashing the sides of his head in. He saw Temari running to him, her face full of worry. Why was she worried?

"Shikamaru, wake up." He looked up and saw Temari_, _she had the mightiest smirk on her face.

_Shit I fainted, I mean um I passed out, either way you say it doesn't make is sound manly_.

"Do you think you can climb on my back, we are almost at the gates." He lifted his body and forced himself onto her back.

_Now this is even worse than passing out! This is pitiful. I hate irony. _

Mountains suck.

"Hey I guess with us pretending to be married instead of me calling you crybaby, I can just call you baby." After the words slipped her mouth, she clamped her jaw shut. A dark blush spread across her face.

Shikamaru fought of a blush of his own, and sarcastically remarked, "Well I guess I can still call you troublesome woman too."

Temari lifted her hands in the air, and helpless Shikamaru fell back on his rear. "Humph! I guess you can walk your altitude sickness ass the rest of the way."

An audible gurgle came from the ebony haired man, "I think I'm going to be sick."

The blonde rushed to his side, pouring the rest of her water into his mouth. "Swallow."

She forced him on his side and rested his head on her lap, "If you throw up on me I kill you."

Temari pulled out a small sack she had gotten from the shop owner, revealing two lunch boxes. "Here open up."

She fed him some rice, trying to build his strength. Its not always wise to feed a person who is going to throw up, but she'd already threatened him. He knew better than to disobey her.

He forced himself to look up at her, he could already see her. Her face would have that 'you're such an ass' look, her eyes could be glassy from his verbal jab. But instead... her face had the 'you stupid idiotic man' look and her eyes were practically on fire. Their eyes met, aquamarine to earthy brown. He watched her eyes go from hate, to sadness, to defeat.

"Do you feel like your going to vomit?" She asked, looking anywhere but at him.

"No." Shikamaru sat up, he actually felt much better. He stood and brushed the dirt from his pants and offered his hand to Temari. She gladly took it. "We should be there really soon."

"Who are you?" Came a foreign voice. Shikamaru and Temari turned quickly to the man. He was taller than both of them, his skin an almond color with matching hair and eyes. He wore a Kumogakure headband.

"I am Shikamaru, and this is my wife Temari. We are moving from the Earth country, we have all our papers." Shikamaru grabbed a thick stack of papers from his bag and handed it to the man.

Temari gave the man a bashful smile, playing the part of the clueless wife. The cloud ninja smiled and handed back the papers, "Go ahead, you'll meet an escort at the gate."

"Thank you so much." Temari batted her eyelashes.

"My pleasure ma'am." He said with a smirk on his lips.

The duo walked up a now clear path to the gates. Shikamaru whispered to his pseudo wife, "Laying it on a little thick don't you think?"

"Are you jelous my dear idiot husband?" Temari hid her grin.

Shikamaru's brow raised, "Of course not, _Dear._"

They made their way to the large wooden gates, and once again they were stopped by a burly man with a dark completion. "You aren't spies are you?"

Shikamaru and Temari looked at each other and answer, "Chu yea right, like that's even possible."

The man smiled, his deep voice echoed loudly, "Good. I am Mutaro, I will be showing you around a bit."

Entering the village was different than both Konoha and Suna. The people seemed to move slowly, taking their time. They seemed friendly, but no one extended a hello or a welcome. Other than the glancing eyes, no one paid attention to them. Temari noticed that not many women were on the streets, and the ones she did see were patrolling ninja. It was strange to say the least. The buildings seemed to be made of some kind of rock, and wood. The stone structures shot straight up past the looming clouds, No wonder its called the Village hidden in the clouds. Directly in front of them several hundred yard ahead, was a gigantic curvy building sitting on the mountain, which was probably no doubt the Raikage's office. The ground was a big puzzle piece of concrete, with a nice fountain in the middle of the road every now and then. It seemed like this village was more about appearance than personality. Both of which Konoha had, and Suna had neither. Random stairways lead up into the air, leading where the two had no clue.

"As you can see our people are a little weary of outsiders, but as soon as they get to know you you'll be having dinner at someone elses house everyday of the week. And it's very easy to get lost here, so be on your guard." Mutaro chuckled. "We have a ways till your house, you ordered a very old home away from shopping district."

"Yes," Temari patted Shikamaru's chest and smiled lovingly at him, "my husband and I enjoy our time away from it all, _alone_."

The darker man chuckled and winked at Shikamaru, "You lucky dog."

The ebony haired man chuckled as a blush darkend his cheeks. _Damn you Temari._

It took them about five minutes from the main district to their new home. It was a dainty little two story home, just like the other homes it seemed to be made out of a thick stone. There was a small green lawn covered with white daisys, corralled by a mid-thigh high picket fence. It looked like a little cottage from a fairy tale, which secretly made Temari giddy, though she would never tell a soul that. They were quite a ways from another house, but they were grateful for that.

"Well, here are your keys." Mutaro dropped a single gold key into Shikamaru's palm, "The Raikage will see you tomorrow at eight, in his office."

Shikamaru nodded as he wrapped his arm around his new wife, "Thank you so much for the tour. We hope to see you soon."

The dark man nodded "Oh and Miss... I wouldn't suggest you walking alone around in the main districts, some stange happenings have been going on."

"Thank you." She bowed polietly, "Goodbye."

The dark man walked away waving his hand silently behind him.

"Well honey," Temari smirked, "lets go see our new home."

"Hmmm I feel like I've been here before." The blonde said as she looked around the house.

Shikamaru just gaped at the house, "The floor plan is just like my mom and dad's place. That's a little creepy..."

"Its really dusty, it kind of reminds me of a haunted house." Temari chuckled and made a ghostly sound, "Woohoooo."

"You're having too much fun with this." The obsidian haired man sighed. "I need to take a nap, I am feeling a little sick again."

Temari scoffed at him, "Don't you dare think that, that hair brained excuse is going to get you out of helping me clean this house!" Temari stopped and thought for a moment, and smiled wickedly, "Okay my big burly hubby."

"Oh no what is it?" The man backed away.

"Well I was just thinking... If you don't want to clean house with me then you can go buy some food in town." Temari chuckled, "Go socialize a bit."

"Thats it?" Shikamaru gaped at her, "No scrubbing the toilet with my own toothbrush?"

"Nope. Just go get some groceries."

The man was already out the door, "Bye!"

Temari chuckled, while she opened all the doors in the house. "Have fun shopping right before dinner, when the shopping district is the busiest."

The blonde went from room to room cleaning, cheating a little, ok cheating alot. Temari had used her wind, which with a great amount of practice she could use without a fan, but still didn't do any damage, and would blow out all the dust from the room. After that she just splashed water everywhere and scrubbed, taking her loving time, because her new husband would be gone for quite a while.

----------

**Yes I do realize that this chapter is rather short and boring if I might add. But what do you expect from this kind of situation? But anyways I promise that the next chapter will be much longer, and some more romance, plus Shikamaru is running out of... well "steam" and looks like he is needing a refil already. And yes I changed the summary, because the old one wasn't attracting many... **


	5. Stupid Questions

Title: Sweet Release

Summary: After him, no other man could satisfy the hunger the dark man left his lovers with. They called him Casanova. (ShikaTema)

Author: Bibliophile Nincompoop

--

_Wise men say, only fools rush in. _

_But I can't help falling in love with you.  
_

_~Elvis Presley_

--

Chapter 5: Stupid Questions

Shikamaru didn't sleep the entire night. The bed had big lumps, the sheets were scratchy, and his pillow smelt like old people.

Not to mention he got home with new bruises from a sweet little old lady who wanted to fight over the last bag of mixed vegetables. Shikamaru won never the less, because Temari would do more damage than that old croon could any time of the week and twice on Tuesdays. But when he came back the house was spotless, and Temari stood in the kitchen preparing for dinner. A sight he thought he'd never witness, but often thought about. It was difficult to ignore the need for her, he had it. It had been just a few days since he had last well "done the deed" with a woman, and he was starting to have visions again. Of his sensei and Temari. Them dieing over and over in his head.

_Why are they coming back so early? I am going to have to find another woman soon, and I have to be extra cautious around Temari now. What if she finds out? What if someone else finds out and it makes a big troublesome ordeal? What a drag..._

He rolled onto his side staring at the blonde next to him. His heart jumped into his throat.

_You're so god damn beautiful._ He just looked at her, with a sorrowed smile. _Troublesome, but beautiful._

It was like he hadn't seen her in ages. He missed the woman, he'll admit it, but he missed the woman inside who cared about him. His father had been right about the troublesome women, and he did fall hard for Temari. Days where she'd fall asleep on the field while watching the clouds with him, catching fire flies on warm summer nights, and splashing him in the river. They had loved each other, to the moon and back. He was afraid of feeling that way for her, she was nothing like the woman he wanted. She was so much more troublesome, and of course like any man when he was faced with a problem he just pushed it away. Pushing her away and right over the edge. Figuratively speaking of course.

"Stop staring at me you creep." Temari punched him lightly in the stomach.

Shikamaru chuckled nervously, definitely caught off guard. "I was just staring at that booger hanging from you nose."

"Ha ha, ass." She grumbled, still half asleep.

"So venomous even in the morning." The leaf ninja smirked.

"No." She paused, yawning awake. "Just grouchy."

She sat up in bed looking outside, the sun was barely peaking over the edge of the mountain. "Stupid time difference."

"You know back in Konoha and Suna it's even earlier." Shikamaru chuckled.

Temari rolled her eyes at him, "No really? I wake up this time every morning, and then go back to sleep. But now I have to stay awake."

She buried her face into the pillows, and screamed "This house smells like old people!"

The blonde huffed and rolled out of bed, and headed to the bathroom for a morning shower. She could feel Shikamaru's eyes burning through her, almost as if she were an ant under a magnified glass.

"Tsunade, could have healed you without you scaring." The raven haired man sat at the edge of the bed, looking over her body. Now that she was just wearing a big tan shirt.

She scoffed at him, "These are just reminders of weakness. If I would have been stronger these would have never happened. The don't hurt me, they don't make me unattractive, so why get rid of them?"

"They hurt me, and probably your brothers." He eyed a thick white scar leading from her neck to her shoulder and further down her back. "Reminding us of how weak we were, not being able to save you."

Temari laughed at him, and she shuffled into the bathroom. "Shikamaru you sure are something. Get over it, it's in the past."

"Hurry up woman, I have to be in the Raikage's office in a hour! And I want breakfast too!" He shouted with a grin.

"Screw you."

He grunted at the thought, _Would you? Ugh! Get your head out of the gutter! Troublesome..._

Temari's shower took about seven minutes, Shikamaru was thankful she wasn't like most girls taking over thirty minutes. From his spot on the bed the hairs on the back of his neck stood at full salute. The cloud ninja were watching them. Checking out their credibility no doubt.

The blonde opened the door, wearing nothing but her towel. But by the look in her eye, he knew she knew. _This is going to make everything worse._

The raven haired man swooped the blonde into his arms, laying her on the bed and kissed her soundly. Her long silky legs wrapped around his hips, and moaned throatily against his rough kisses. His hands roamed the curves of her body, touching his woman for the first time. The blonde flipped him onto his back and kissed his jaw down to his neck and nibbled on his ear lob with seductive chuckle.

"Honey, you have to be going soon." She kissed Shikamaru's bruising lips, like she had always wanted. "And I still have to make you breakfast."

The flaxen haired man, flipped his wife over and kissed her as deeply as possible, "I'll stay home."

She chuckled and pushed him up, "No my love go shower."

"You're evil." He growled in his lust. He reluctantly pulled away from her and went into the shower. But the sad thought dawned upon him. _She was acting. I forgot it wasn't real._

He went into the kitchen where Temari was making what looked to be french toast and eggs. A hot cup of coffee was already on the table. Her tea was still on the kettle.

"Thank you for buying chamomile." She looked at him out of corner of her eye.

He remember specifically to buy in when he was at the market yesterday. He actually bought enough to last an entire year, just so he'd never have to go to that damn market again for it. "Oh I forgot I got it."

"Well thank you anyways." She grabbed a plate and served his food, sliding it down the table to him. "I hate playing Susie home maker. Why can't I be the ninja and you're the domesticated ball and chain?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, "Temari..."

"I know, I know. It was more of a general statement and wish than a question." She poured her cup of tea and sat with him.

"Why aren't you eating?" Shikamaru took a bit mouthful of his breakfast, washing it down with his coffee.

She rested her face in the palm of her hand stirring her tea with a spoon, "Not hungry."

"Whatever." Shikamaru finished his food, staring at her lips the entire time. He already missed the feeling of them against him, or her body against him as well. "What are you going to do today?"

"Go into town, try to make some acquaintances." She sighed happily from the taste of her tea.

"You should be careful. Mutaro said you shouldn't go alone." Shikamaru said a little worried.

Temari scoffed at her pseudo husband, "Are you serious?"

"Ok I'll go warn the person about you." She laughed lightly from his joke/insult/compliment, and he smiled as well. "I wonder what 'strange happenings' Mutaro was talking about anyways..."

"Don't fret over it, I am sure the Raikage will inform you soon enough." The blonde picked up his plate and empty mug and put them in the sink. "I'll escort you to the building."

He opened the door and held it open for her, "I want you home before it gets even remotely dark, and don't give me crap alright."

"Yes mother." She smirked.

Shikamaru groaned, "That's giving me crap, woman."

The air outside was terribly cold, which made Shikamaru wrap his arm around his blonde companion. It felt amazing to be so close to her again, and even better knowing it wasn't a dream. It took roughly ten minutes to get to the overly excessively large building, which Temari stood on her tippy toes and kissed her husband's forehead.

"Behave." He ordered sticking his finger out at her.

The blonde smirked evilly, put playfully said, "Who me? Always. Have fun at work."

She walked away, her hips swaggered seductively though she didn't even try. Shikamaru suppressed a lustful groan and whispered, "Be safe."

He walked into the building, ready for his tests and initiation.

_Ugh dirty men._Temari kept a fake cheery smile on her face. While the men on the streets eyed her like a piece of meat, and some even whistling. Neither of which she was quite use to, especially when people knew about her. The evil wind bitch, or something on those lines. _Pfft, strange happenings my ass. More like foul men wandering the streets._

The blonde made her way into the shopping district, where she saw very few women wandering around. Most of them were in groups or with their husbands. She smiled seeing that there were quite a few blondes. In Suna being a blonde was a disgrace, blondes were ugly. In Konoha, there were a handful and men found them attractive. But here she could see at least seven, and there were about twenty women in the shopping district. At least she would fit in.

The blonde walked up to a woman around her age, and tapped her lightly on the shoulder. The woman spun around having a kunai in her hands. "Whoa whoa." Temari chuckled waving her hands in front of her, "I am new here and I was wanting to talk."

The woman pocketed her weapon and smiled lightly but gasped. "You really must not be from around here, your eyes are so beautiful."

"Huh? My eyes?" Temari raised her brow in confusion. "They're nothing special."

The woman chuckled, "Nearly everyone in Kumo have brown or hazel eyes. Oh where are my manners, I am Kagna."

"I am Temari." She bowed respectfully, "Pardon me for asking but why is everyone..."

"We are having issues with drunkards lately." Kagna huffed, "And the Raikage doesn't want to waist our resources in protecting us women."

"Men." Temari scoffed.

The woman nodded in agreement, "I know."

_Mission find friend: Complete_

Shikamaru stood in front of the Raikage, answering a long list of ridiculous questions. He had just passed a ninja examination, now was the loyalty test.

"Favorite color?" The extremely dark man asked.

"Green." Shikamaru answered flatly, slouching in his chair.

"Your wifes favorite color?"

"Purple."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"When is your anniversary?"

"March twelfth."

"Why did you get married on that day?"

"My wife wanted the weather to be nice, and it was far away enough from our birthdays and any holidays."

"What country did you come from?"

"The Land of Tea."

"Nasty place, is your wife from there too?"

"She's originally from the Land of Valleys, but moved to the Land of Tea when she was thirteen to live with her uncle after her family died in a fire."

"What about your family?"

"I'm adopted. My parents died a year ago."

"Cool, I'm done." The Raikage smiled. Shikamaru couldn't believe how strange this man was. He acted more like a teenager than the leader of a country. "You're an official member, now go do ninja things."

"Such as...?" The former leaf ninja asked.

"Go on patrol, yea patrol." The man relaxed in his chair.

Shikamaru stood up and left, _My mom always said I acted like an old man, but now I feel like one._

"Ok bring in the chick." The robed man called to his assistant.

Temari was immediately in the Raikage's office, being shoved by a younger boy. "It's very rude to interrupt someone while they are having tea with someone."

"Sorry hun. I just have to ask you some questions." The man slipped on a pair of sunglasses.

_This can't possibly be the Raikage... No wonder this place is all screwed up, the freaking leader is just a big kid. _She sat down, where her husband was just sitting. "Shoot."

"Favorite color?"

"Purple."

"Your husbands favorite color?"

"Green."

"When is your anniversary?"

"March twelfth."

"Why on that day?"

"Because my husband whined that it would be too hot or too cold any other day of the year."

"What country are you from?"

"I am from Land of the Valleys and my husband is from Land of Tea. I have no living family, neither does my husband. He has a birth mark on his left butt cheek that resembles a cloud. My bra size is a C. I dislike octopus and squid, I like roasted chestnuts and vegetable soup. My husband whines about everything I cook, so I don't really care about what he likes. He takes his morning coffee black. Anything else you'd like to know?"

"Welcome to our country." The Raikage said a little bit scared.

She stood up in a huff, "Thank you. I am sure I will love being here."

Shikamaru walked down the relatively empty streets, he had already escorted a drunk man back to his house. It wasn't even noon yet. He had spotted a few women who caught his interest, but one in particular. She didn't seem to be on edge like the others, she was more confident. She was definitely the next one, but would watch her for awhile to make sure she was a safe choice. _I should just ask Temari, or tell her at least. No... She'd be disgusted with me. I couldn't live with her looking at me like that, knowing what I do. _

"Shikamaru." He whipped around to see Temari standing behind him. "Did you not hear me calling you?"

"Evidently not." Her scowl grew, and Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Sorry, no I didn't. Did I mention how great you look today."

_I am so whipped._

---------

**Ok I changed the summary back.... because a couple of you said you like the old one better. Thanks for your input. Once again if you catch a error please tell me, I don't always catch them. I am only human.**

**K I S S I N G :D **


	6. Deception

Title: Sweet Release

Summary: After him, no other man could satisfy the hunger the dark man left his lovers with. They called him Casanova. (ShikaTema)

Author: Bibliophile Nincompoop

--

_Those who are faithless know the pleasures of love; it is the faithful who know love's tragedies. _

_~Oscar Wilde_

--

Chapter 6: Deception

"No!" Shikamaru sat up in the bed screaming, his breathing was ragged and harsh. Another dream of the blonde being tortured and killed left him sweating bullets. Two feminine arms wrapped around his back, resting a tired head between his shoulder blades. He calmed down almost immediately, it had been like this for the past three weeks every single night. He didn't want to play this game anymore, no more different women every month. No more empty feeling when he went home alone. There would only be woman in his bed. And it was going to be Temari.

Though he had given into his temptation four weeks ago, but it had felt so wrong. He had left late in the night telling Temari that it was a meeting, and she had just walked him to the door and told him not to fall asleep during it. Shikamaru had found the woman he had marked out and without contemplation she took him to her home. But when he was done, it didn't make him feel better only worse. He could only think of the blonde woman who waited for him in their home.

She kissed his back through his shirt, breaking him out of his turmoil, she was obviously to tired to realize what she was doing, "Lay down."

Shikamaru did as she commanded, smiling when she wrapped half of her body over his snuggling into the crook of neck. Her warm breath on his neck sent shivers down his spine. He rather go through this torment every night for the rest of his life, just for a moment like this with her.

"Temari?" He whispered to her.

"Huh?" The blonde grunted, lifting her head and trying to open her eyes to see him.

The shadow user brushed her hair from her face gazing intently at her beautiful face. "You're so troublesome."

She chuckled ever so lightly and kissed his forehead, "Love you too."

Temari laid back on his chest, to tired to notice his heart thumping wildly in his chest. He kissed her head squeezing his eyes together tightly, "I love you."

But she was already asleep, making soft whimpers in her sleep.

His dream replayed in his head. He would never be able to get her screams out of his mind. Especially when she was screaming his name.

Temari woke up like every other morning for nearly a month. She was tired, irritable, and amazingly comfortable. Shikamaru happened to be a great pillow and blanket. He had told her that when he would wake up from his nightmares she would talk to him soothingly and coax him back to bed, but she never remembered any of it. She often hoped she didn't say any incriminating, something on the lines of 'you have a nice ass' or 'your abs are totally lickable'. Which both would be utterly true.

She wrenched her way from his strong and needy grasp, giggling (not in any sort of girly manner of course) to herself when his face scrunched up in disapproval. She'd wake him in two hours as soon as she took her shower, finishing up chores and finished making breakfast.

Shikamaru had found out that Kumo was planning on attacking Konoha, but before then they were going to destroy Suna. And _the real _Raikage had admitted that it was all the council's doing, he didn't want to go to war again. And yes the real Raikage, the one that Temari and Shikamaru met had been the Raikage's brother Killer Bee a jinchuuriki containing the Hachibi bijuu. So the duo had to be interrogated by the more uptight man, who still had little of his brother's personality. But occasionally the Kumo ninja still loomed over their house, but Temari didn't mind, in fact she appreciated it. Temari loved it when Shikamaru would sneak up behind her hugging her and kissing her, just like a true lover would. When he'd kiss he gently and wildly, but it was just a act for him.

The loud beep from the coffee maker brought Temari, who was dazing off into space, to her senses. She turned towards the toaster oven that was fuming dark black smoke, "Ahh! My toast!"

A little while later the blonde made her way back up to her bedroom to wake up her lazy man, but was in for a lot more than she bargained for. She opened the door and Shikamaru was butt naked drying off his hair with his bath towel. He looked towards her and flushed dark scarlet, which probably matched her's.

Temari didn't know how long she looked at him, and neither did he. His body reacted on its own and rushed blood to his cheeks and another lower region, he quickly forced his towel to cover his mid-section like a curtain, "Yes troublesome woman, what would you like?"

"Breakfast is ready. Come down. I mean with clothes on. Or not. No yes clothes. I.. I am leaving now. Right now." The blonde rushed from the room, her breath wild just like her thought.

Temari set the table like usual, but she couldn't stick around to see Shikamaru. It was too embarrassing. She had stammered like a school girl, and that was worse than walking in on him nude. _Actually him being nude was the good part. Agh! Stop that brain!_

The creek in the stair case told her that her husband was coming down, so being the proper lady Temari was... she ran out the back door like a bat out of hell.

_I can't believe I just ran out of there like a pansy, you're making me weak Shikamaru. You're domesticating me. At least I liked gardening before I met you. _The blonde slipped on a white floral gloves. Botony was after all one of her favorite past-times.

She loved flowers, ever since she first came to Konoha. So many different species, such beautiful colors and not to mention the powerful aromas. Temari had always preferred lilies, they we so simple and yet so bold and magnificent plus they smelt amazing. Before they had moved in the garden was dead and overtaken with weeds, but with countless days of backbreaking labor the garden was a paradise. Poppies, English lavender, baby's breath, stargazer lilies, and tons of daises flourished and made their fairy tale home even more perfect. Its just to bad that this story didn't have a happily ever after.

When she came inside, Shikamaru was already gone thank goodness. He left her a scribbled note on the table saying 'thanks hon' and that was it. But for the lazy man it was a lot, and she knew it. He wasn't the type of many to go off and bring home flowers just because he can. Shikamaru was the guy who bought you flowers if you yelled at him till he went deaf and then kicked his lazy ass just to get the point across. Regardless she was thankful for his little note. Temari wasn't one for doing special things for her significant other but Shikamaru needs a little pick me up from all those nightmares.

_What was Shikamaru's favorite food again? Hmm... Kelp, I know that for sure. But what fish was it? Salmon? No. Albacore? No. Mackerel? Yes that's it! I know exactly what I am going to make tonight._

Temari washed her soiled hands and went into town. It was a nice cool day with a wonderfully fresh breeze. Though it kept pushing her back home.

_Why are you acting so strangely today my friend? You're blowing in the wrong direction. _

The wind pushed her back even more violently.

_I am very busy, I don't have time for your nonsense._

With her command her element seized and allowed her to walk into the main district. Everyone, not just a few people but everyone in the village, were in a big circle in the middle of town watching what seemed to be a fight. But Temari could just barely hear what was happening, so she couldn't be too sure, but she could see Mutaro and Kagna yelling at each other. Well that's what married couples do best after all. They probably had been at it for a while since both of their faces had gone tomato red from their screaming. Mutaro said something that sent everyone up in a tizzy. They began whispering as Kagna gasped shaking her head violently. _What the hell is going on?_

And within a second everyone was staring at her. Temari looked around to see if it was someone else, but no... they were all staring at her. Temari had that little nagging voice in the back of her head telling her to run, but she stood her ground. And the crowd spread like the red sea so Kagna could run up to her, but still keeping her distance.

"I am sorry Temari." She sobbed, "I didn't know. I swear I didn't know."

_Did she find out me and Shikamaru are spies? Oh no, I've got to warn him. We've got to get out of here._

"What are you talking about?" Temari nervously rubbed the back of her head. Slowly backing up.

Mutaro bounded towards her, his entire body reeking with anger. _Shit run! Run! Run! Run! Why aren't you running? This is no time to be prideful! _

"Did you tell her!?" The dark man yelled at his wife who meekly looked away.

Temari kept backing away slowly, staying out of arms reach of the man, "Tell me what?"

"That she is fucking your husband!" He screamed.

"My husband? Shikamaru?" The blonde burst out in laughter, clutching her sides.

Everyone stared at the woman as if she had gone crazy, and Mutaro's anger slightly dissipated. "Yes Shikamaru is having sex with my wife. He is cheating on you!"

Temari was still laughing, bringing tears to her eyes. "Shikamaru my lazy ass husband? Who thinks everything is troublesome, is cheating on me? I highly doubt it."

"It was only once Temari." Kagna was still sobbing, she knew it was him. The woman had found out yesterday when she saw the two walking home from the Raikage's office. "I am so sorry."

The blonde's laughter was cut short, her beryl eyes peered into her friends chocolate ones and she knew that the woman wasn't lying. Shikamaru had been with her... "No. I don't believe it. I can't believe it."

"Well believe it!" Mutaro started his yelling again.

"That's enough people!" Bellowed out a deep voice from behind them. "Everyone go home, don't any of you guys have anything better to do!"

A strong hand landed on Temari's shoulder, she looked up to see the octopus ox beast container. "Killer Bee."

"Come with me." With out a question or hesitation she followed the man who walked straight into one of the towns pubs. Inside was dark and dingy, it looked like a bar straight out of the slums like in the movies. "Stay here till everyone chills off, okay babe."

And she was there from the big incident, till... The blonde gazed at the clock on the wall it read ten o' clock. So nearly fourteen hours she had been here, drinking away all of her worries. The first couple of hours she nursed a glass of whisky, but after that she couldn't quite remember. But it wasn't enough to stop her heart from hurting. It wasn't enough to stop her thinking of him with her. It felt like she was being stabbed over an over again, no it was worse than that. She'd rather take a kunai to the heart rather than this pain she was feeling.

_How could you do this to me? How can you make me feel like I was the only person in the entire world for you and then make me feel lower than dirt? I love you and this is what you do to me... No, I did this to myself. I let myself love and like all love I have ever had, it has been crushed and demolished._

Temari had her head against the counter top, holding her empty glass in her hand. A hand rested on her shoulder, which happened to be the thirty-fourth hand today. "Fucking beat it asshole, I am drowning myself in my own fucking self pity." The hand still stayed, so Temari flung herself around to scream at the owner only to see Shikamaru. The blonde laughed again, never taking her eyes off of his strong yet worried and sad face. Temari kept laughing till she was in tears, but these weren't from humor. The blonde sobbed into her hands, no man had ever made her cry. Not when they beat her, not when they used her sex against her, not when tortured her past the brink of sanity. Never, until now.

"Temari..." He whispered to her, almost like a silent apology.

She stood and walked out of the bar, her steps were quick and clumsy. Drinking obviously impairing her movements. Her body swayed back and forth as she walked, but she didn't notice her mind was set on going home. To her real home, in Suna. They had enough information, she was leaving now without him. Shikamaru in an instant had her in his arms and was walking to the house. She didn't struggle, and he didn't speak. Well until he unlocked the door...

Temari lept from his arms and ran upstairs, locking the bedroom door behind her. He knocked on the door, "Please let me in, we need to talk."

"You're not actually married to me, you don't need to be faithful. Go ahead and screw all the girls you like Shikamaru." She said with a straight voice, trying to sound as normal as possible. He wouldn't make her weak. "I was playing the part of upset wife, you know... like all of this was, it was fake."

"Then why won't you let me in?" He asked.

The blonde wiped madly at her tears, "More acting. No wife would let her husband back in after cheating."

"I didn't mean to do it, I'm sorry..." His voice cracked from his masked emotions.

Temari scoffed and yelled, "What you were both jogging naked and ran into each other and whoops?! I'm not stupid!"

"Temari...." Shikamaru was cut off by her gasping sobs.

"Stop Temari-ing me! Just go sleep on the couch, like you're supposed to and leave me the hell alone." The blonde listened for his response, but none came. Only the soft grieving footsteps walking down the hall and stairs, and then the front door click shut. Temari grabbed her traveling bag, and stuffed all her clothes and belongings in it. "Stupid idiot! And to think I, Temari of the desert mistress of the winds, fell for a stupid cloud gazing pineapple head reject like him!"

The blonde stormed down stairs with her bag in tow, and went into the kitchen to pack up some food for her long journey home. "I should have just kicked his ass right then and there. That's what the real me would have done. I would have decked him, knocked his lights out. I would have..."

A knock sounded from the front door. Temari peeked her head out from the kitchen to stare at it, tears still clouding her vision. "Ha! Locked yourself out, you deserve it!"

The knock still beat against the door, strong and firm. Though how strange and stalker like it was, Temari knew Shikamaru's knocks. They were more drawn out and well... lazy. The blonde made sure the dead bolt was in place before she opened the door to peek through the crack.

"What are you doing here?"

-------------

**Dun Dun Dun. I feel so horrible for making Shikamaru such a bad guy, but it is necessary. Once again if there are any spelling errors tell me, I am only human and spell check doens't allways catch everything.**

**Hope you enjoyed!! And you all will have to wait till Monday or Tuesday for an update because I am going camping. Sorry!!!!!**


	7. Help

Title: Sweet Release

Summary: After him, no other man could satisfy the hunger the dark man left his lovers with. They called him Casanova. (ShikaTema)

Author: Bibliophile Nincompoop

--

_I always looked for a man to rescue me and bring me happiness. _

_I bought into that myth, of course, and looked for my own Prince Charming. _

_  
~Linda Evans _

--

Chapter 7: Help

Shikamaru closed the door silently behind him and trudged down the broken stone road. His eyes never left the ground, and his heart heavier than his footsteps. What a fool he was. He knew this was going to happen and he just let it. What kind of genuis is he?

What a fool.

Temari loved him the way no other would, he finally realized that and then this! Temari couldn't fake a tear even if her life depended on it. He made her sob like a heartbroken child that had their favorite toy taken away. Shikamaru wiped at his face, _Men don't cry. Well real men don't cheat on their wives either._

The man entered the bar he found Temari in earlier. He looked around disgusted. He couldn't imagine his woman in a place like this, and from what she said to him it sounded like these drunkards had given her a rough time. It made his blood boil at the mere thought of someone else touching her in any kind of way.

"I'm here to pay my wife's bill from earlier." Shikamaru spoke to the bartender.

The man behind the counter stared at the young man before him, sizing him up. "The Raikage's brother already paid it, and he told me you'd probably be by later so he paid for yours as well."

_Killer Bee_. Shikamaru sat down, exactly in the same spot the blonde had, the chair wobbled. Temari always liked uneven chairs, like a child she'd rock side to side. She had always been the hard ass kind of person, but she still had the heart of a child. "I'll have the same as my wife had."

A whisky was set down in front of him and he sipped it, growling at the taste.

Flashback (Shikamaru Pov)

I waited at the gates like every month, sometimes even twice a month. I always told everyone it was troublesome to wait for this troublesome woman. But I didn't mind waiting for her in all honesty, not that I'd ever admit it. Temari was a remarkable woman. There were no words to describe her accurately, and all he really knew was that he was head over heels for her. It was troublesome.

I spot her coming over the horizon like always, and like always her face is without a smudge or expression.

"Troublesome woman, making me wait." I mutter, but with her smirk I know that she knows that I've missed her.

Her smirk fades into a small smile, meant just for me. "I have to drop papers off to Tsunade, then would you like to go cloud watching?"

I nod in approval, it's not like I am going to say no. I'm not crazy.

Once again I wait for her till she comes out of the Hokage's office. My hands are in my pockets, I don't know why I always find myself in that position. I guess it's just comfortable.

But she taps my shoulder bringing me out of my thoughts."You're paid to escort me around, not to be in la la land."

"Hn." I say that only to get under her skin, and oh how it works wonders. I can see out of the corner of my eyes her face harden and she glares at me ever so lightly. It's better than a smack with her giant fan.

In precisely fifteen minutes we were in HER favorite spot, but I liked it too. It was just a regular spot on a vacant hill, Temari liked it so much because there were thousands of tiny daises and wild flowers covered the emerald green grass. I was the first to lay down, while she stood and taking in the scenery. She was so gorgeous standing there. Her posture straight but peaceful, that small delicate smile adorning her face, with the wind blowing her blonde tresses elegantly across her face. She was is everything that I didn't want in a woman, but I find myself wanting her more and more ever time I see her. I don't quite remember when I realized I loved her, but boy was it was troublesome seeing her after that.

She finally rested by my side, her knowing eyes gazing softly up at the clouds. Maybe it was a day like this that I fell in love with her. Maybe she was yelling at me calling me a crybaby or pineapple head. Either way I am done for, this troublesome woman had me wrapped around her finger.

"Shikamaru do you think I'm..." she paused, I didn't look at her. I didn't want to make it painfully obvious that I am doting on her every word. "pretty?"

She quickly offered up more information, "It's just in my country blondes are typically disliked, but people her think Ino is beautiful. And I know you wouldn't lie to me."

"No." I said putting my hands under my head, but I turned to look towards her. "You're not pretty in the slightest."

Her face darkened, though a regular person wouldn't have seen it. I know every face, and every twitch and gesture of this woman. "Breath-taking."

"What?" Temari spun her head to look at me, her eyes twinkled. Though she didn't want them to. Her eyes always gave away her emotions, though her face could be made of steel, those gorgeous teal orbs told a never ending story of feelings.

"Troublesome woman, are you deaf?" I asked almost seriously, enough for her to think so. "I said you're breath-taking. Ino may be beautiful, but she has nothing compared to you."

I nearly died from the look she gave me, it almost looked like she was going to cry. I didn't know whether to run like hell or actually comfort her. She masked it by smirking, "Don't get all mushy on me Nara."

Well if you would stop giving me that look, I wouldn't be getting all weak in the knees and every other joint in my body. She was something else... "Tch, you wish..."

My heart caught in my throat as she wrapped her arms around me, resting her head on my shoulder. She is so warm. Her golden locks tickled my neck and sent chills through my body. But as soon as my body reached nirvana, even more peaceful than watching the clouds she pushed away and punched me in my left pec.

"Oy! What was that for troublesome woman?" I rubbed my chest, but more disappointed that she took her warmth away from me.

She smirked, "Which? The punch or the hug?"

"Both."

"The hug was for my own personal reasons. And the punch was for you enjoying it too much." Her tempting smirk grew even larger, if even humanly possible. And my mind got the greatest idea ever, though she was probably going to kick my ass. Even if it was troublesome, it was worth it. Just like she is.

I reached over and grabbed her by the back of her head, and my lips crashed down upon hers. Kissing her like I had always imagined. But I was afraid to pull away, not only because she was going to beat me, but because she may hate me. I slowly pulled away, holding her wrists just in case.

This was a face I'd never seen before. I don't even know how to describe it. "What was that for pineapple head?"

"Which holding your wrists or kissing you?" I just smiled, looking at her lips again. I want to kiss her again and again, hell I don't think I cant stop.

"Both."

"The kiss was just because I like you. Though it's troublesome. And holding your wrists is so you don't maul me, and it's the closest I can get to your hands..." I took deep breaths before I let go of her slender tan wrists, preparing myself for the ultimate beat down. It never came.

"You should ask before you take. What ever happened to your manners?" The slightest tinge of red painted her cheeks. Yes! She likes me too! "So what now crybaby?"

"I guess the proper thing would to ask you out on a date." I muttered, "But I already take you out and pay every time I see you. So would you like to watch the clouds with me?"

"Sure why not, but next time you are taking me out to a nice restaurant, none of that barbecue or ramen crap." She smiled, and I nearly turned into a puddle again.

"Troublesome woman."

"Your troublesome woman."

Yes, she was mine. Now and forever.

End of Flashback.

_She never belonged to me. I never deserved her anyways. No, no one deserves her. No man could even come close to matching her worth. And here I am causing her all this trouble, I guess I am the troublesome one. She won't forgive me for this. If I'm lucky she'll just loath and despise me at least. How could I screw up so much? I can recite every word from every chapter of any book I've read, but I can't even go one day without insulting Temari in some way! I'm such and idiot! Shikamaru, what are we going to do with you? _

He thought of that day on the hill, it was still fresh in his memory like it was yesterday. She admitted that she was his, but she wasn't that forgiving. _Lets go home, she needs to at least understand why._

With that he stood up but was caught in his tracks when he overheard a silent conversation.

"Yea he said he was going up to the house to fight him." Someone whispered in the corner, "He's obviously pissed about that guy sleeping with his wife. He came out of here so drunk, he'd probably be destroying the house while he was at it."

"Poor woman," The recipient sighed. "I hope she doesn't get in the middle of it. She might get hurt."

Shikamaru's heart pounded, and he wasted no time. He ran from the bar and home.

_Troublesome woman you better be safe._

"What are you doing here?" The blonde asked the man on the other side of the door.

The man's words came out in slurs, "I come to say sorry, I shouldn't done that in front of everbodies."

"Mutaro, go home." Temari demanded. "Go to your wife and make up. She loves you."

"I... I..." The large man started sobbing, barely able to stand. It was a pitiful sight. Against her good judgement Temari unlocked the door and came to rest and the man's side. Telling him everything was going to be alright. But he shot to his feet screaming at her, "No it's not! Your husband is going to feel the same pain as I do!"

"Mutaro, just go home. You don't want to do anything irrational..." She fell back into her house, dodging a blow aimed for her head. He came in stumbling after from the force of his punch. "Now I don't want to hurt you, so just go home now!"

"What the hell can a civilian woman do to me?!" He yelled. And it clicked in Temari's mind that she couldn't fight back like she normally would, and she didn't want to kill him 'accidentally'. This wasn't going to be pretty, she had to let him rough her up. She was forced to be weak, if not then their cover would be broken and the fates of their countries would hang in the balance. _Why are you never here when I need you Shikamaru?_

The large man barrelled towards her tackling her to the floor, which he immediately started ripping at her kimono kissing her messily around her neck and cheek. Temari kneed him in the unmentionables, and pushed herself up off the ground watching the man gasp for air swearing every word in the book. He quickly grabbed out a kunai and ran it through her calf. And like most women who were under attack, she let out a scream that could be heard miles away. Mutaro grabbed her wrist and before she could pull away he snapped the bones into hundreds of shattered shards. Temari dropped to the floor, holding her arm, scooting towards the kitchen.

_Fuck this I'm stabbing his ass._

She pulled herself off the floor and reached for the knife set on the edge of the counter. The dark man grabbed her ankles and yanked them out from under promptly smashing her forehead into the edge of the counter, she was out cold.

Mutaro grabbed her ankles and dragged her through the house and up the stairs. He threw her on the green bed and crawled onto of her, "In his bed, like they did in my bed."

Teal eyes slowly opened, blood pouring over her eyes and a man's chest firmly pressed against hers. She screamed again, punching him with all her strength now. His now broken nose spilled over her nearly naked chest. And it scared her more than anything to be here, in this situation, again. Her head throbbed as if she were hit with a sledgehammer, she could hardly see anymore.

But she was conscious enough to hear the door slam open, "SHIKAMARU!"

Shikamaru didn't look around, he didn't spare to glance at her blood staining the walls and floors, or the broken vase he was running over. He just followed her voice, the screaming voice that haunted his dreams. Flew up the stairs and didn't pause to gasp at the sight that he was sure would never escape his mind. He quickly grabbed Mutaro and threw him on the floor, promptly punching him over and over again on the man's cheek. Blood quickly engulfed his victim's face as the poor man underneath him started gagging on his own blood.

"Shikamaru stop!" Temari looped his arm in hers and pulled him away, sending him back on his rear. The raven haired man looked at his blonde and let himself stop. Her face was begining to bruise and the scarlet liquid poured down her face. She suddenly gasped, and rested her palm on his cheek. He was crying. "Crybaby stop. Why are you crying?"

He took his sleeve and wiped the blood hiding her beautifully sculpted face, "I'm sorry." Shikamaru grabbed her pulling her into his arms, forcing all of his love into the embrace. "I am so sorry."

The Kumo police barged into the house and up the stairs to see Mutaro and the lovers embrace. The medic quickly ran over to Mutaro, checking his pulse. "It's faint but it's still there! Run him to the hospital quick!"

A man with extremely spiky hair swooped up the much larger man and disappeared. While the medic ran to Temari's side, which Shikamaru only hesitantly let her go still holding her wrists, though he now realized that one was hanging limply from her arm the bones completely broken. Like spaghetti noodles before cooked, when you break them in half in order for them to fit in the pot.

"My my, I am surprised that you are in such good shape. Mutaro could have done a great deal of damage to a little thing like you." The medic sighed in relief. "You'll just spend the night in the hospital, and tomorrow you'll come back home."

The medic signalled a burly man over to pick up the blonde, but Shikamaru grabbed her first. "I'll take my wife."

They all nodded. Shikamaru took off, slower than his run to the house, but still faster than normal.

"You were late." Temari muttered still angry at him, but much less than before. How can you be mad when the man you love was sobbing in your arms from regret and anguish?

"Never again." He promised.

"You're so troublesome." She forced a smile.

He kissed her lips soundly, "I love you too."

Shikamaru paced outside of Temari's hospital room. They had already stitched up her calf and forehead, and the doctors were currently putting her wrist in a cast.

"I want purple!" Came a scream from the room, which made Shikamaru laugh. "I don't care if I'm not a child!"

The doctor exited the room, giving Shikamaru an apologetic smile. But it made Shikamaru laugh even more, "And to think that she is the mature one in our relationship."

"Oh we get this all the time. I just wasn't quite expecting it from a grown woman. Usually they complain of even having a broken bone." The doctor chuckled with a smile.

"She's full of surprises, I guess that's why I fell in love with her."

"Then why...?"

Shikamaru cut of the dear doctor before he could finish the sentence, "I have to tell my wife why before I start telling the world. You understand right?"

The man in the white robe nodded, "Of course. Well I better go make the cast purple before my patient blows a gasket. Just one more thing I'd have to fix."

He sat on the bench for twenty more minutes, thinking of possible outcomes from his confessions. He had never been religious but Shikamaru was praying to whatever higher being that this would turn out in his favor. But like he said earlier Temari was full of surprises. He looked up as the door opened and all the medical personnel walked out in single file order until the man doctor came out nodded to Shikamaru, as if saying you can see her now.

The undercover Jounin pressed his head against the door his feet felt like lead iron, they didn't want to go any farther. "Come in pineapple head."

"You shouldn't refer to me as that." His feet felt light again and he walked into the room. And the sight of her made his gut twist and contort. Her skin was translucent looking unbelievably sickly, black sutures stuck out of her forehead, and the black, purple, and green bruises spread like a curse mark over the left side of her face.

"Yea because everyone knows you by my little pet name and not your actual name." She scoffed, wincing from her wounds. Silence passed over them, and Shikamaru looked at her with those eyes. She knew what he wanted to talk about. "Go ahead, tell me."

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**Ha ha ha, sorry to leave you like that, but I am extremely sunburned (I look like a freaking lobster) and tired and I just want to stop the chapter like this. :D**

**I based Temari's head wound after mine, though I was jumping on the bed when I was five and cracked my head on the dresser when I fell off. Don't worry it fades with time, though it never really goes away.**

**Well hope you guys are enjoying, this was the high point per say of the story. Tell me about any spelling errors I didn't catch.**

**Now will Temari learn to forgive? **

**Next chapter called (so inventively)... '_Forgive me'._**


	8. Forgive Me

Title: Sweet Release

Summary: After him, no other man could satisfy the hunger the dark man left his lovers with. They called him Casanova. ShikaTema

Author: Bibliophile Nincompoop

--

_The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget._

_~Thomas S. Szasz_

--

Chapter 8: Forgive Me

_Silence passed over them, and Shikamaru looked at her with those eyes. She knew what he wanted to talk about. "Go ahead, tell me."_

His genius mind was like a hamster on a wheel trying to figure what to say. Though he had thought of many ways to start, he didn't know which on to choose. "Don't interrupt me ok, this may not make much sense at first but just listen."

She nodded slowly.

"At first it was smoking, then it was drinking, then it was both, then it was killing and grueling missions but nothing could ever take my mind off of Asuma's death. It haunted my dreams at first, and then when I was awake. One day while I was drinking this prostitute came up to me and before I knew it we were back in my apartment. I wasn't dating you anymore at this time, you didn't even really want to talk to me at that point. And then when we found your attackers and it became official that you were killed, nightmares of your death and Asuma's death just brought more and more women. But it helped, being with those women helped calm my troublesome brain. Until, you came back into my life.

"I use to be able to go months, and now I can only go weeks. I don't know how or why, but it just did. I didn't want to tell you earlier and I was afraid you'd find out, I just didn't want to see your face afterward. The disgust."

He looked at her trying to see her face, but she kept her head down looking at her _purple _cast. "So I met up with Kagna, she didn't know who I was nor I did her. But she pulled me inside without a single thought. After we were done, all I could think about was how I betrayed you. How with every woman I've ever been with, I was betraying you. So I stopped. And suffering through those three weeks of nightmares, was well worth it."

"Why didn't you ask me?" She finally faced him. Her face held no emotion, like the perfect ninja she was. But her eyes seemed so hurt and angry.

"Ask you what?"

She shook her head lightly, "To relieve you, I am your wife after all. It would have even made our position more believable."

Shikamaru paused smiling sadly, "I didn't want to force you, I wanted to wait."

"I would have. I would have wanted it too..." A silent tear dropped down Temari's cheek. "But now it would only be an obligation to our situation."

The shadow user hung his head, he didn't care about sex. That was the last thing on his mind when thought about her. They sat in silence, the air around them was not filled with anger or animosity, just sadness and understanding. "I love you."

Her eyes brimmed with salty tears, she forced them back with every ounce of strength she had left. She meant for her voice to come out strong, but it came out cracked. "I don't love you."

"You're a horrible liar." He chuckled sadly.

"Just get out." Temari demanded.

Shikamaru rested his hand on hers, "Temari..."

"Get the hell out! Just get the hell away from me!" The blonde screamed at the top of her lungs. She bit her quivering lip, glaring at him. "I hate you. I hate you!"

"No."

"GO! You stupid idiot! I hate you!" She yelled again, her tears engulfed her eyes but she still held them back. "You've made me weak! You've made me weak."

"Sir..." The doctor peeked into the room. "You're going to have to leave the room, until she wants you to come back. We don't want her to stress her body any farther."

Shikamaru got up ever so slowly reaching over the grab Temari's hand which she quickly moved away from him, turning her head towards the wall opposite of the door. He sighed silently and walked away. Not even sparing a goodbye.

But even after he left, she did not dare to let her tears fall. "Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice... shame on me."

Recovery for Temari had been easy, since she'd been through the procedures more than once, a lot more than once. She had gone home the next day, Shikamaru by her side the entire time. He made her breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the first week. But after that she went back to the usual routine, for the most part.

"Temari!" Shikamaru shot up from his spot on the bed, his forehead drenching in sweat. He automatically looked down at the woman next to him, who still had her eyes shut but was sitting up the pat his back. He laid back down squeezing her in his arms, this was the only time she would actually let him touch her now.

"Shika..." The blonde whispered in her sleep.

"Yes troublesome woman." He answered kissing her forehead, she smiled.

"Don't leave me."

He held her tighter, "Never."

Like every morning she woke up not knowing what happened when he woke from his nightmares, but he had an unusually happy smile on.

"Are you ready to go into town?" Shikamaru asked her, resting his hand on her shoulder.

She quickly walked out of his grasp and headed out the front door. She hadn't spoken to him since that night, nor did she want to. It was childish, but honestly... she had nothing to say to him, well at least nothing nice.

Temari could feel everyone's eyes on her, on her fresh scars, on her fading bruises. But she held her head high, like always and paid no attention to them. Shikamaru would attempt to keep her company until he absolutely had to go to work. But after he left, came even more pain. The men who would chuckle or even approach her asking and sometimes demanding basically to go home with them. Temari would just keep walking, but none would go after her thankfully. Even the women in town exiled her, whispering 'that's her', 'it's her husbands fault', 'if she were prettier her husband wouldn't have to go off with other women' and other such comments. If they only knew.

_I am ready to go home. Go to war with this damn place, blow them off the map. _She sighed inwardly, looking up at the Raikage's office. _No I don't want that. But I do want to go home, my little charade is over._

Temari made her way up the stairs to the large building, her leg burning with pain with each step. Physical pain was nothing to her, she could endure it. She walked past the dainty little secretary who was more caught up in her nail polish than who was going toward the Raikage's office. Soon Temari was faced with that large doors, which her knuckled raked against with four solid knocks.

"Come in." She pushed open the doors to see the Raikage and his brother sitting together discussing some trivial thing. "Oh Miss. Temari I was actually expecting your husband, but what can I do for you."

"He's not my husband." It felt so weird for her to speak for the first time in a week, but she was just glad that her voice came out strong. "Not legally."

"But..." Both of the dark men started staring at her disbelieving.

"My name is Temari of the Desert. Temari the wind mistress. Temari the cold hearted Sunan bitch. Take your pick." She said holding back her smirk. "I was sent here to spy on your country, to find out if the rumors of war were true."

The man in the shades snapped his fingers, "I knew you looked familiar babe. Where's the big fan?"

"At home. My home in Suna." The blonde took in a deep breath. "I am leaving your village, to return home, with your permission or not. Kill me now if you wish. I just wanted to sit down and talk to you about a possible peace treaty, before I demolish this village into tiny pieces."

The Raikage cleared his throat with a smile on his face, "I am sorry Miss but a treaty of peace has was signed roughly about ten minutes ago."

"What!?" She yelled, "By who?"

"Me." A deep voice came from the door behind her. She whipped around to see Shikamaru. He had the lightest of smiles on his face. "It's nice to hear you screaming again."

"Don't get use to it." She growled looking back at the Kumo officials, bowing to them. "It's been a pleasure meeting you both, goodbye."

"You're still leaving babe?" The biju asked.

She glared at the man in the doorway, "I have no reason to stay."

The blonde woman walked from the room knocking her EX husband of balance in the process. She quickly made her way into her EX home and grabbed her bag, which she never unpacked. The day they came home Shikamaru nearly had a field day seeing it on the floor, not that he should care. Temari wrapped up four days worth of food and took one last look of the house. She went and opened the door only to find the EX cloud ninja standing in the doorway, once again.

"Move."

"No." He forced her back into the house shutting the door and locking it behind him.

He kept walking towards her, and she moved back not wanting to be near him. Her back touched the wall and she gasped in shock, Shikamaru put both of his arms beside each sides of her head leaning closely in. His earthy chocolate eyes smelted her insides, nearly making her into a puddle on the floor. Her heartbeat was erratic, she still loved him. She still wanted him, but he was going to have to fight for it.

He sighed, the fiercness lost in his eyes, "Lets go to Konoha."

"I am going straight back to Suna." She looked away from him, his arms still blocking her exit.

"Nonsense, troublesome woman." He scoffed pushing himself off the wall. "Plus my mom would like to see you, your like a daughter to her. She cried when you were announced dead."

"I can't say she'd do the same with her lazy son." Temari smirked.

Shikamaru chuckled, rubbing the back of his head, "She was probably the one who killed me." Temari laughed and so did he. "So are we ok? I mean with the whole.."

"For now, I still don't forgive you though. But I can tolerate your presence until we get to Konoha." She grabbed her bag off the floor. "Well I'm leaving right now, catch up ok."

"Oy! Don't make me run!" But she ran out the door, slamming it behind her. "Damn troublesome woman."

After two hour of sprinting Shikamaru finally caught up with Temari, she chuckled at her little game. The blonde was surprised he actually ran that far, for that long.

"Troublesome. Woman." He breathed out each word.

She smirked at him, "If you can make it all the way to Konoha without stopping to sleep within the next twenty-four hours, I'll let you take me out for dinner."

Shikamaru pondered this for a moment. Sleep or a date with the troublesome woman? Man that was a hard choice.

"Make it thirty hours and it's a deal." He bargained, hope gleaming in his sharp eyes.

"Fine."

_Your lazy ass won't make it in even forty, sucker._

Temari glared at the smug bastard next to her, wanting more than anything to knock that smirk off his face. They made it to Konoha, with two bathroom/food breaks, in twenty-eight hours. If he wasn't such uncaring jerk he probably would have been grinning like the idiot he was.

People that saw her gasped and pointed. _What do they know about Shikamaru cheating here too? News spreads fast I guess._

"She's a ghost." A woman whispered. _Oh they still thought I was dead._

"Boo." She chuckled inwardly, while Shikamaru ran his palm over his face.

The leaf ninja sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets, "Come on troublesome woman, you owe me a well earned date."

"And what exactly are you going to do on this date?" The blonde ambassador asked skeptically.

"We need to get some rest first, my mom should be starting dinner in an hour."

Temari scoffed. What a stupid man, he finally has the chance to take her out and he wants to go home.

"At least I can bitch about you to your mother."

------------------

**Ok my readers, the next chapter is quite long if I say so myself. I had written it all in this chapter but it was way to long for my liking. **

**There is some kind of tangy fruit in the next chapter. **

**Tell me about grammatical errors please.**


	9. Daughter in Law

Title: Sweet Release

Summary: After him, no other man could satisfy the hunger the dark man left his lovers with. They called him Casanova. ShikaTema

Author: Bibliophile Nincompoop

--

_"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." _

_~Moulin Rouge_

--

Chapter 9: Daughter-in-Law

Temari had been asleep on the Nara's guest bed for about ten hours. When they arrived early that morning Yoshino nearly cried seeing them both. Of course she hugged Temari, thanking every god known to man that she was alive. And then she hit Shikamaru, yelling at him for not telling her where he was going and nearly giving her a heart attack. The Nara matriarch had quickly made her son get the guest room ready for Temari. Those stairs seemed to take out the last bit of her energy because as soon as her head hit that pillow, she was out. Dead to the world.

"Hey, troublesome woman, it's time to get up." He nudged her out of her deep slumber.

She groaned and looked at the pineapple head man, "Crybaby? You're awake before me? What kind of world is this coming too?"

"Ha ha very funny." He sat down on the bed beside her. "You're not going to tell her are you?"

"Tell who what?" The blonde sat up rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"My mother, about the mission and my secret." Shikamaru's eyes were downcast in fear, but his body still held his lazy appearance.

Temari just smiled at him, "I am bound not to tell the details of that national security mission and it's not my secret to tell."

He sighed in relief, "Thanks."

"What is that smell?" Temari took a deep breath through her nose, smelling an almost heavenly aroma. "There is only one thing in the world that smells that good..."

"Dinner's ready!" Yoshino bellowed from the stair case.

The sand ninja ran down those stairs so fast that the Roadrunner would have a go for his money. Leaving the lazy man laughing upstairs. Temari halted in the kitchen where Yoshino had the table already set, it was a beautiful sight. The blonde was piratically drooling, she hadn't had Mrs. Nara's cooking in over two and a half years. It was a sight for sore eyes.

The older woman chuckled warmly, "I see my cooking still sends you running."

"Yes ma'am it does." Temari returned a smile. Shikaku walked into the kitchen stopping when he saw her. "Hello sir. it's nice to see you again."

"Temari dear, you can stop with the formalities." Yoshino beamed. She had always considered Temari as the daughter she never had, and she was the greatest daughter anyone could ask for.

Shikaku rubbed his eyes once more still staring at the blonde woman, "You're alive?"

Yoshino came over to her husband setting him in his seat at the end of the table, chuckling. "Don't think to much about it dear, you might hurt yourself."

Shikamaru walked into the kitchen and then immediately sat down to the left of his father, slouching like always.

"You'll get scoliosis like that." Temari whacked him on the back of the head before she sat beside him. "Sit up straight."

The Nara heir sat up properly as he was told, sighing as if you had just asked him to go to the moon and back.

Yoshino nearly fainted at the sight. Her son? Her lazy good for nothing incompetent extremely to the point of being a slug lazy son did as he was told with out a 'troublesome'. Even the fact that he complied with the young girl's demand was a godsend. This was her future daughter-in-law, even if Shikamaru didn't like it. Which she knew he did.

"Whipped." Shikaku whispered to his son.

Shikamaru grunted narrowing his eyes at his dad, "Father like son."

"In more ways than one." The older man looked at the blonde who was piling her plate to the brim. _My son fell for a troublesome woman. Atta boy._

They had been eating their food in silence, though the blonde would murmur a 'that's so good' every now and again. Yoshino smirked evilly, when the figurative light bulb flashed above her head.

"Temari how long have you known my son?" The flaxen haired woman asked. Shikamaru nearly choked on his food.

"Too long." She replied, "Why do you ask?"

Yoshino tapped her chin in thought though her eyes twinkled in mischief, "Oh, it's nothing really... It's just I am so surprised my son hasn't courted you yet."

Shikamaru could have died at that moment. _Come on mom! Damn troublesome woman!_

"What he never told you that we had dated?" Temari gasped, punching the man next to her. "You never told your mom?"

"You dated?!" Yoshino yelled. "Why didn't you tell me Shikamaru!?"

_This is so troublesome, this is the definition of troublesome._

"Well!?" They screamed in unison.

Shikamaru chuckled nervously, "I'm an idiot?"

Both women calmed and once again agreed at the same time. "I know."

The flaxen haired youth glared at his father, "I hate your genes." The scarred man could only chuckle at his dear son's dispense.

"Wait." Yoshino nearly blanched. "_Had dated_?"

"Shikamaru broke up with me." The blonde said frowning ever so slightly. "But I agreed nevertheless."

The older woman growled at her son, almost as fierce as a lion's. "If this clan didn't need your offspring, I'd disown you."

"You'd pick Temari over you own son?" Her husband asked.

His younger counterpart scoffed rolling his eyes towards his father. "Do you even have to ask that?"

Both girls chuckled. The older woman could tell by the look in the two in front of her, that they still kindled a roaring flame for one another. _Good because I want to be a grandma as soon as humanly possible. Oh those sounds of pitter patter from baby feet! Dark haired grand-babies with bright eyes, how delightful!_

"Shikamaru," Temari scolded. "your mother loves you. Even though I am much cooler that you, she still loves you."

"Hn. Ow!" The young Nara glared daggers at the blonde who had whacked him upside the head again for 'hn'-ing her. But she was perfectly composed, sitting straight as a ruler. His eyes softened while looking at her. She was happy, and wasn't hiding it. Smiling the biggest he had seen in the longest time. Only his mother could do such a thing, make another scary troublesome woman act like a normal human being.

"Temari dear help me with the dishes." Yoshino directed more that asked. "You boys go sit in the living room, I'll bring you out some tea and dessert in a minute."

They all nodded and went to their commanded areas.

Shikamaru couldn't help but try to listen to what the two women were talking and giggling about in the kitchen, but it couldn't have been good considering Temari and his mother were giggling. Giggling mind you. Giggling definition, the laughter of women who are not evil, scary, or harmful in anyway. Ok well that was Shikamaru's definition, but it was pretty damn close. Whatever they were planning it was going to involve him in some way, and it wasn't going to be pretty.

"Sit down dear." Yoshino instructed to Temari who was holding a platter of filled teacups and a piece of chocolate cake on four white doilies. The three quickly grabbed their dessert and tea devouring it. The Nara woman walked over to the built in shelves, grabbing nearly every single photo album she had collected throughout the years. She came and sat down by the blonde promptly opening the book showing pictures of a young couple. "I was so good looking then, I could have any pick of any of the boys. Except one. He said that I was the most troublesome woman he'd ever met and he'd never date a woman like me. Now I'm married to his lazy ass."

Temari smiled at the picture, "What possessed you to go after a Nara?"

"I guess it was the fact that he was unattainable." Yoshino smiled warmly. "Then I found myself forcing him to notice me, sometimes even beating the snot out of him. But he would still just call me a troublesome woman."

_Just like me and Shikamaru... _The blonde's smile fading at the thought.

"And the next thing I know I am marrying him." She flipped the page to their wedding. Yoshino was wearing a beautiful white kimono with red flowers falling downward and collecting at the hem of the dress. Shikaku looked just like Shikamaru, he's scar still not present on his face. "And then we had a baby." Temari laughed at the hundreds of pictures of the baby Shikamaru. Some where he was playing, some when he was sleeping, and some during bath time. He was almost always wearing clothes though, he probably figured even at that age that those photos would come back and haunt him.

"He's so adorable." The Sunan princess gushed, "What happened?"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes a slight blush on his cheeks, "Troublesome woman."

"And then our lazy little boy got a friend." Both girls smiled prettily at the picture of the chunky sweet faced boy and the lean darker boy who had an adorable smile on his narrow face. "And then he got more and more." Most of the pictures were with his teammates, Temari nearly growled at the blonde in the pictures jealous of her. How much time she got to spend with Shikamaru, but never saw him more than a friend. Other of the pictures had the other kids she'd met at the chunin exams. "He even met a girl."

Temari felt her heart sink into her stomach, but it leapt into her throat as the page turned. "Hey wait that's me."

It was a picture of Shikamaru and her, it was after she saved him from that sound chick, she could tell by her outfit. Shikamaru was obviously sighing, but a small smile etched on his lips and she was grinning in triumph, she was most likely picking on him like she did often at that age. The next picture was of them walking into the village, Shikamaru's face was content if not happy his hands shoved into his pockets as always and she was looking ahead. Temari nearly grimaced at her expression, she had a tight lipped smile her eyes gleaming in the sun she looked beautiful but open exposed and weak. But it was a beautiful picture of them.

"Shikamaru was quite taken with you, I could tell." Yoshino smiled. "He started reading books about Suna, the royal family, about your weapon. Though it made me angry he'd rather read than do his chores."

"I was just interested mom." He added in his defence.

"Yea, interested in me." Temari chuckled lightly.

Shikamaru sighed looking up at the ceiling, "Troublesome."

Shikaku yawned from beside them, whether it was real or fake none of them could tell. "Oh I am so tired."

Yoshino sighed lightly disappointed in her husband, he'd become even more of an old man. What happened to the man who would beg her to stay up all night and into the mornings to well... 'do taxes'.

"Well I guess we should go then." Temari stood from her spot taking the silver tray of dishes back into the kitchen.

Shikamaru quickly grabbed his mother by her arm and dragged her to a place where Temari couldn't hear them. "Mom..."

"I know I know that was a little bit much for you too being 'just friends'." She sighed sadly.

The young man looked confused, "No that's not it. I was wondering if I could have 'it'."

Yoshino smiled ear from ear, "By 'it' you mean my engagement ring that has been handed down in the Nara line for over three hundred years?"

"Uh, yes." He backed away from his mother so she couldn't crush him to death with one of her famous bear hugs. Instead the woman squealed delightfully and ran up stairs almost as fast as Temari when she came down them. Within seconds his troublesome mother ran down the stairs holding a silver wedding band with three single diamonds, the middle one being the largest. It was simple, and beautiful. She would definitely love it.

"Oh tell me the instant she says yes." Yoshino grabbed onto her son holding him. "If not I will have no choice but to chop you up and feed you to the deer."

"Troublesome woman." Shikamaru rolled his eyes walking to the door.

Yoshino smiled. _I love you too son. I guess Temari will have to find out on her own that 'troublesome woman' means 'I love you'._

Temari walked out of the kitchen and to the door where Shikamaru was waiting, "It was nice to see you all again."

"Bye dear." The Nara woman smiled and waved goodbye.

The outside air was chilly, but it was nothing compared to the nights in Suna or in Kumo. It was nice, perfect almost. Everyone who was out were heading back inside or out eating. Shikamaru watched her out of the corner of his eye, fiddling with the ring in his pants pocket.

"That was a nice date." She said looking up at him.

His mouth was in a thin smile, just at the fact she was gazing at him. She wasn't angry with him anymore, he could tell by the twinkle in her jade eyes. "It was troublesome, but enjoyable."

"Just like me?" Temari chuckled.

"Exactly like you."

She stared hard at the fork in the road that they were at. "So are you going to set me up in a hotel or are we going to the embassy?"

"You don't like hotels." He said matter of factly. "And the embassy is pretty far from here..."

The blonde smiled, "I never did see this new apartment of yours."

_Do want to see my bedroom while your at it? Oh stupid brain stop that! _

Shikamaru walked into the building next to them opening the security gate. Temari stifled a chuckled, he was planning on this from the beginning. He was on the first level, first room, of course. Much to lazy to have to walk any farther than he had to. They walked inside and the blonde looked around appreciatively. It was clean, other than the layer of dust gathering from his absence. The walls were a pale green with white curtains. The couch looked worn in but soft and comfy most likely Shikamaru's resting spot, that or he is already planning ahead for his marriage. He'd probably spend many a night there. His apartment was small but cozy, it was much to her liking.

"It's nice." She said leaning against the wall, taking in all the pictures floating around the room and plush carpet. This house represented him, hell it even spelt like him.

Shikamaru didn't respond to her, all he did was eye her deep in thought.

"Hey pineapple head, are you alright?" The blonde asked him, her brows slowly coming together in concern.

The man walked straight up to her pushing her up against the wall, he wasn't brave enough to do it two days ago when he had her in this same position. If she pushed him away, he would accept it, he would wait. She went wide eyed at their closeness, breathing unevenly from the slight touching of their bodies.

"Do you love me?"

"What? Why are you asking me this?" Temari asked defensively not wanting to answer truthfully.

"Do you love me?" He repeated slowly, his voice deep and smoldering.

"No..."

"Liar."

Shikamaru's lips crashed against hers, pinning her further against the wall. Temari tangled her slender fingers in his hair forcing his mouth closer to hers breaking through his lips with her tongue. She moaned at how good he tasted. Her fingernails dragged down his back sinfully, all he could imagine was her doing that while they were in bed. He groaned against her mouth, the bulge in pants growing painfully in need against her abdomen.

She chuckled in his dispence, and pushed him away. "You don't get me that easily, you broke my heart _twice._"

He snarled in pain, but calmed his body. "I am willing to do anything."

Temari scoffed running her dancing fingers over his chest a blush appearing on her face, "I bet you are. There are still many firsts I haven't had." Shikamaru turned dark red in embarrassment, kicked off his shoes toward the door, and swooped her up and carried her to his bedroom. "I guess you're not a lazy bum all the time."

He layed her on the bed crawling on top of her and kissing her sensless. He ran his fingers through her loose hair, making a quick reminder of throwing away all hair ties. Quickly removing her obi and kimono, staring down at her half naked body his body tensed in lust. She wrapped her long legs around him and flipped their positions so she was straddling him. She leaned close and nibbled on his ear lobe and he growled in pleasure. Her chaste kisses led down his through and onto the material covering his body. He instantly hated clothes.

"These won't do." She smirked. Shikamaru threw off his vest and shirt in a flash, his chest rising and falling quickly. He grunted when he went to unbutton his pants when a pair on lacy blank panties blocked his way. She leaned froward and huskily said, "I'll do that."

She kissed down his wonderfully sculpted chest and abs down to pelvis, the pants went of swiftly but she lingered with his black boxer-briefs. She was nervous to say the least, she'd never pleased a man, on her own terms, before. But she wasn't scared, she wanted him, she was literally aching for him. She'd never felt that before. She was a grown woman, and her she was acting like a seventeen year old girl with her high school sweetheart. She fingered his waistband slowly sliding them off and threw them behind her. She couldn't even look, she was sure she was blushing. She felt warmer than the desert in the middle of July. Chuckling at her naive blush, Shikamaru wrapped his arms around her bringing her flat against his body, he rolled over so that he was back on top.

He smiled staring down at her, "When I am done with you, you're going to begging for me."

"I don't beg." She ran her hand bravely down his band latching her soft hand on his manhood, he moaned instantly.

He pulled himself out of her grasp, "You will my troublesome woman, you will."

"It's doubtful you lazy idio..." She gasped as his face lowered down between her legs, spreading the farther apart and slowly taking off her panties.

His tongue assaulted her jewel with ferocious hunger, and from the waves of pleasure it sent through Temari's body it took all her strength no to cry out. She bit down on her lip burying a hand in his now loose hair. Then he penetrated her with one skillful finger, and then two while his mouth sent her into sheer ecstasy. Her figure shook with pleasure, she took fist-fulls of the sheets under her trying to stay on planet earth.

Her back arched, the strangest yet most pleasurable feeling she'd ever felt.

His fingers and mouth went faster and faster, until she cried out in her orgasm her body shaking from it even afterwards. Shikamaru stopped himself, feeling himself wanting to release just from her moaning. He kissed up her body, pausing at her breasts. He wrapped his arms around her and unsnapped her bra throwing it across the room. He looked at his woman's beautiful face still adjusting to her body's climax, her eyes sparkled and her cheeks the most beautiful pink.

"Am I forgiven yet?" He smiled wickedly at her.

_Where the hell is my lazy ass pineapple head, and when was he replaced with sexy Mc sex god? _"Not even close." She breathed smirking back at him.

He took her soft rosy nipple into his mouth teasing it sinfully, kneading the other with a skillful hand. She bucked underneath him throwing her head back into the pillows. His throbbing shaft rubbed teasingly against her womanhood. Her nether lips seeping with her unfinished desire.

"Shikamaru pl.. plea.." She moaned, her will completely gone she was his.

He smirked up at her, "Plea..? Troublesome woman I don't know what that is."

She growled with anger, maybe her will wasn't so gone. She flipped him to his back, and quickly made her way down to his manhood. Temari nearly gulped at the size, in shock.

"Temari... what are you do..." He moaned aloud, glued to the bed, as she took the head of his shaft into her mouth.

Her small tongue drew circles around, she had never done this before so she once again was quite nervous. She took as much of him as she could into her mouth, which she thought was roughly four inches and she nearly half way. She grabbed the base of his shaft with her hand pumping it up and down in sync with her sucking.

"Temari I'm going to cu..." He looked down painfully at her. She took her mouth off of him, not allowing him his release. "Oh my fucking... Damn woman!"

"Torture isn't fun now is it?" She smirked at him. He grabbed her forcefully by her hips and aimed her above his fully saluted erection. She chuckled at his now eagerness, "Say please."

"If you don't I'll just turn the tables and then I'll be making you say please." He voice the deepest she'd ever heard it before, his eyes were dark with lust and need.

She held onto his shaft and slowly made her way down him inch by blissful inch. Both moaning together with their connection. Shikamaru smirked to himself when Temari's walls stretched from his size, being the largest man to be with her. She rolled her body on top of him and he couldn't help but stare at her beautiful body. He wanted to take her with such an animalistic urge that it was unbearable. He flipped her, being on top once again, and he filled her completely listening to her whimper helplessly.

She throbbed with need, and so did he. Within a second he was thrusting as hard as possible, she grabbed at him her nails tearing at his back trying to force their bodies to mold as one. His shaft plunged deeply inside of her, they were both so close, but Shikamaru wouldn't end it so quickly. He slowed himself, he slowly pulled out and slowly back in. It drove Temari insane.

"Take me now! Please! Shikamaru!" Her body convulsed in sheer torturous pleasure.

"Do you forgive me?" He smiled up at her, in all actuality he was in just as much pain as her, but being a man...

She growled, "Yes! Yes! Yes! I forgive you!"

With a triumphant smile her buried himself into her body, his rock hard body thrusting wildly sending her body of the edge and she screamed and Shikamaru followed yelling her name as he grabbed onto her shoulders pulling her body into his, filling as much of him as humanly possible inside of her. He collapsed on her chest breathing heavily.

"I told you I'd make you beg." The flaxen haired man nibbled on her neck.

She shrugged her shoulders, "I was just acting."

"What!?" Shikamaru practically screamed, but she laughed and he realized it was a joke. "Troublesome woman. I love you."

"Love you too." She smiled happily kissing him with all the suppressed love in her heart.

He ran his hand down her body exploring her lush curves, wanting to take her over and over again. She shuddered under touch.

"Shikamaru..." She said huskily, and he smirked before he pounced on her again.

They laughed and giggled, rolling around in bed, but one heart was still heavy with sorrow.

_I love you... but I can't stay with you. I'm sorry Shikamaru._

_---------------------------------------------------_

**Was the 'tangy fruit' scene good enough? It was my first time writing one.**

**Anyways yes don't you love those women together?**

**Again warn me of spelling errors, 4,391 words.**

**Only two chapters left!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	10. Stay With Me

Title: Sweet Release

Summary: After him, no other man could satisfy the hunger the dark man left his lovers with. They called him Casanova. ShikaTema

Author: Bibliophile Nincompoop

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_If I tell you I love you, can I keep you forever? _

~Casper (The friendly ghost)

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Chapter 10: Stay With Me

Temari woke up that next morning sorer than she'd ever been in her life, but she felt amazing. They had stayed up till four in the morning with their love making starting at roughly nine, the woman who married him would be lucky indeed. Her heart wrenched at the thought, it screamed at her that she was being stupid that she should stay. But she knew better. How long would it be this time? A couple months, a year? Before he couldn't cope with the distance between them. Her home was Suna, her family was Suna, her duty was Suna. No matter how unfair it was, she had to go back.

Once she got out of the shower, having to scrub his intoxicating smell from her body, dressing and fixing her hair, she took her last glance at Casanova. It was a funny title for him, because that was the last thing anyone would give Konoha's number one laziest ninja. But he wasn't lazy last night, he made it magnificent for her. He was the first she agreed to make love to, she would treasure it forever. Especially since at home waited the signed contract for her hand in marriage to another. It wasn't fair, but since when has life been? Especially for her.

Shikamaru laid in bed, the goofiest of smiles adorning his enticing lips. Those lips that touched nearly every inch of her last night. It nearly made her cry thinking of what she was doing, she was leaving him. The man she had wanted since they battled in the arena during the exams. From that very damn day she admired him, cared for him, and grew to love him. Loved him with every inch of the frozen organ in her chest.

She sulked down the road to the gates, people bustling in their own little worlds all around her. Giving her great big smiles, and hellos. But she was dying, she could feel it. Her heart was suffocating her, shrinking into a ball and crying in the corner of her rib cage. She wanted to turn around, to run from her troubles in his strong arms. She wanted him that stupid idiot, pineapple head, crybaby! That wonderfully troublesome man. She didn't want him to reject her, not again. Who was she kidding? Certainly not herself. She wasn't leaving, she was running away. Not because of that stuffed shirt noble who was waiting to marry her. Not because of her duty, home or family! She was afraid.

Flashback Temari's Pov:

So I am going to tell him today. I am going to do. Oh I can't do it... Stop that you are Temari of the Desert feared by all, you are going to walk up to that big whiny ball baby and you're going to tell him you love him! Yea right... I may be blunt, but I'm no Naruto. I don't wear my feelings on my sleeves. How bout I just grab him by the collar and force him to love me? No, it doesn't work like that. Wouldn't it be great if it did? Most definitely.

I walked towards those big looming gates, they were supposed to be a sign of welcome and authority. But all they did was want to make me turn on my heels and run like hell because of what, or precisely who, waited for me there. He always complains about picking me up, though I can see in his eyes that he doesn't mind. But as I came closer, I noticed this wasn't the case today.

As soon as I came close enough he turned around and walked on without me. What the hell did I do? "Hey what's up your ass?"

Damn it Temari! Don't you think you should be nice to the guy your going to confess your undying fucking love to?

He scowled at me, his chest heaving slightly. He was angry or upset, one of those two. I've only seen him like this a couple of times, all of them ended badly. "We need to talk."

Ino had told me about those four words, that they were a no fly zone. They were the flashing red light that indicated danger for couples. Well I am stupid enough to enjoy danger because my big mouth went off and said, "Ok sure."

We walked over to my hill, I loved it because of the thousands of wildflowers that just made me smile, not to mention that's where Shikamaru first kissed me and asked me out. I loved it how forward he was, it was very unlike him. Shikamaru loved the hill because he could watch the clouds, I didn't mind watching them. I prefer the stars. But for him, if he liked wrestling alligators or catching butterflies, I would do it. Though the wrestling alligators sounds pretty fun...

I promptly laid down taking in a deep breath of the fresh Konoha air, but he didn't sit with me. He stood watching those puffy clouds sail across the sky. In a way they reminded me of 'us'. He was the lazy cloud, and I was the wind who pushed him along. I love him, how nice it is to say that. I love him with every inch of my body, no matter what mood he was in or what bad habit he had, I love him. And now I have to suck up my pride and tell him.

"We shouldn't see each other anymore." He said not even bothering to look at me.

"What?" I couldn't say anything more, my heart just shattered in my chest, and my brain was mocking me telling me how stupid I am. I am too stunned to even let the tears that are drowning inside of me flood my face. My face was calm and collected, just as it always is.

"I said.."

I cut him off, "I know what you said, I just want to know why."

He stood there for a moment, still looking up and away from me. I just want to hit him, hurt him! Make him feel this pain that was tearing me apart. I am so stupid! Letting him in. Telling him my desires, my hopes and dreams. I hate him, I hate him more than I've ever hated someone. Even more than my bastard of a father, a feat I thought no one could beat.

He took in a deep breath and slowly released it, was he preparing himself? For what me punching him till he was unrecognizable, well too freaking late bud! "It's the distance. I can't be with a woman who I hardly see. Common sense and logic would tell any sane person that it wouldn't work out. Right?"

I stood up, I am going to pummel him till he has to breath out his ears and talk through his ass. But that's not what I did, stupid big mouth. "You're right. It wouldn't work out, well it was fun while it lasted. Right?"

He turned to me his face was edged as if he was holding back something... Is there someone else, it's probably Ino. Yeah sure Shikamaru I'm more beautiful that her, damn liar. I'm biased, look at me I am lying to him right now. It could work out, love always finds a way or at least in the stories it did. Unless this love was one sided. All those smiles and chaste kisses he gave me, rare and a lie. "Yeah, it was."

"Are you okay Shikamaru?" I asked after all he had changed since Asuma died... I could always smell the faint alcohol on him probably because my dear ol' dad was a slobbering drunk and the smell makes me sick, but I never said anything. He smoked those cigarettes as if they were candy, one after another. I hadn't kissed him since he picked up the nasty habit. Nearly four months ago.

He just scoffed putting another death stick in his mouth, lighting it up. "Never better."

I quickly looked around at the wild flowers covering the hill, the once luster they held in my eyes gone. The colors dulled, the aroma turning putrid, it lost it's magic. No. I lost the magic. "Is that it? Is this why you made me travel three days for? Just so you could break up with me?"

He took a big inhale of the cigarette closing his eyes tightly together almost as if her were in pain and muttered a simple, "Yes."

"Then I will be going back home." I began walking away when I felt his presence beside me. I forced myself to stand straight and proud, though the pain in my chest was enough to force me to my knees. "What do you want?"

"I'm still your guide." He didn't dare look down at me, but I did to him. I could see the small condensation stuck to his lashes, tears. But there were not enough to make me pity him, it just made me hate him more. That damn cigarette smoke got into my eyes and made them water, or that's at least I told myself.

I walked ahead of him, so he couldn't see almost my watering eyes. I was almost out of the gates when I paused. "If it's unfavorable to see me, then tell the Hokage to assign someone else."

"No." Shikamaru's voice almost pleaded. I turned to see him glaring at me as if I had done this! If I were the one who tore our perfectly fine and happy relationship apart! His eyes went dull the slight glimmer gone. "I enjoy your company still, have a pleasant trip Miss. Sabuko."

I could have cried right then and there, oh how I wanted to. How he could he do that to me!? Act as if he didn't even know me! Act as if he didn't just break my heart! But thankfully my stupid body held it in, all that pain. "They never are, but for some reason I looked forward to them." His jaw tighten as if I had just punched him. Good you damn bastard. "Gaara took me off of my ambassador duties last year, he told me I didn't need to do such a boring and useless job. So if you don't see me next you'll know why. Farewell Shikamaru Nara."

I left, knowing I had just left him with a pain. No matter how little, I let him feel the pain that I gave up my dreams of being a full fledged ninja protecting my country to talk to the old bities just to see him. Good. At first I left the village walking slowly hoping that my pineapple head would be the man I knew he was, to call after me tell me to come back that he was a stupid idiot genius. But it never came, and as soon as the that damn village was out of sight I ran. I ran till the tears trailed behind me rather than falling on my face. I ran till my body collapsed sobbing against a tree at the border of Land of Wind and Fire.

"Stupid bastard." I forced my body to stop it's nonsense, what point was there to cry over someone who who... Oh who am I kidding! I love that damn crybaby! I love him so much I hate him!

"I hope you weren't talking about us." I whipped around quickly pulling my fan to my side even faster. I was surrounded and out numbered.

End of flashback.

So there she stood again, those looming gates still mocking her. She walked out of them, set to never come back.

Shikamaru woke up yawning and stretching like a cat, the smile still stuck smugly on his face. A night without nightmares and filled with dreams of his woman was a good night indeed. He reached over to grab his beautiful blonde and pull her near, but all he had was a handful of empty sheet. The leaf ninja shot up looking around quickly, Temari's clothes were gone and his were thrown in the hamper. He got out of bed and looked into the bathroom the condensation from her hot shower still stuck to the mirror. He quickly made his way to the living room, still butt naked. She wasn't there and neither was her bag, and the door was unlocked. His genius mind working at full speed, it finally clicked and the shadow user quickly ran back to the bedroom slipping on clothes not caring if they were dirty or clean and bolted down the dirt street to the gates.

_Don't leave me woman, don't leave me! _

He shoved through the people on the streets all looking at him curiously all following him with their eyes, until everyone watched the Nara heir running down the streets like a lunatic. She couldn't leave him not again! He was overcome by pain and hurt when he sent her away the last time, he was stupid. Stupid stupid stupid! Shikamaru ran even faster watching a sole figure already far away from the gates. He couldn't leave without permission, the two guards at the gate stopped him as soon as he came barrelling out.

"TEMARI!" His scream echoed throughout the entire village, even making the woman on the beaten path look in astonishment, but she made her way back to the large gates just close enough to tell him that this was goodbye, but the words wouldn't come out. "You damn troublesome woman! Where the hell do you think you're going?"

She growled at him, anger obviously poisoned in her voice, "Last time I checked I didn't need your permission to home!"

"Well your my troublesome woman, and you're staying here." He said in finality, this sent whispers through the enormous crowd that watched them.

The blonde woman glared at him, if looks could kill Shikamaruwould be poached eggs right now. "I don't belong to you! I'm no one's damn property!"

Shikamaru got down on his knee, thankfully his mom had beat it into him that a woman likes romance. So this was the least he could do. And praise whoever was looking over him with a smile, the young Nara was wearing the pants he did last night. He pulled out the delicate silver ring, holding it up to her. "You will if you say yes."

Most of the women gushed at this, but Temari just wanted to sock him. Kiss him. Cry. But most of all beat the crap out of him. "You're two years to late Shikamaru, I'm getting married to someone else."

He got to his feet and walked towards her, the guards pushing him back, "Shikamaru, you're not allowed to leave without permission from the Hokage."

"He has my permission." The blonde peered around the gate obviously spying on the couple as well.

Shikamaru continued towards her not saying anything. It frightened Temari to no end, she'd never seen him look like this before it made her want to rip her heart out. "Get away from me Nara. Please."

He grabbed her and pulled her tightly to his body, holding onto her if she were his raft out at sea. "You won't leave me again, troublesome woman. I love you too much to let you leave. I didn't run after you that day, though I wanted to so badly. I learn from my mistakes. Will you marry me? Be my troublesome woman until you yell at me to death?"

"I... I ca..." She rested her head on his shoulder wanting nothing more than to run away with him. But her duty, her home, her family, her fear...

"Stay with me." He pleaded his grip only getting tighter.

"I can't." Temaripushed him away her eyes hard, his face was heartbreaking. It was if she stomped on his heart squashing it into the ground and spiting on it. He loved her, more so now than ever before. The realization made her heart flutter and her soul soar. She smiled ever so lightly, "Until you ask my brother's permission."

Shikamaru smiled from ear to ear swooping her up in his arms and spinning her around kissing her everywhere on her face. A thundering of applause erupted from the crowd, and many whistles pitched to their passionate kiss.

But Temari pushed away again, "My brothers are still pissed at you."

Shikamaru pulled her in for another kiss. "They'll get over it."

Like a yo-yo she pushed back, "I mean when they see you they'll decapitate you and feed you your intestines like spaghetti."

"Will you be quiet troublesome woman." He forced her back into her arms and kissed her silent.

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**Ok let me hear it 'AWWWWWWW!'. I am such a big baby here I am writing this chapter since I posted the new chapter for A Thousand Year War, crying because I can imagine myself as Temari going through all this crap. I am a crybaby.**

**Yes only one more chapter of the story. That makes me want to cry too! :'(**

**As always my faithful readers if I screwed up and spelt things wrong or something doesn't make sense tell me, I was crying to much to see the screen correctly.**


	11. Our Troublesome Happily Ever After

Title: Sweet Release

Summary: After him, no other man could satisfy the hunger the dark man left his lovers with. They called him Casanova. ShikaTema

Author: Bibliophile Nincompoop

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_"Take love, multiply it by infinity and take it to the depths of forever.. and you still have only a glimpse of how I feel for you." _

_~Meet Joe Black_

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**Before I begin this chapter, I just wanted to thank my more active reviewers (more than two or three). The ones who actually bothered in telling me how they feel about my story and encouraged me to continue. I have tons and tons of alerts on this story, but only a handful of reviewers it's quite sad.**

**This is in alphabetical order.**

**Jocular Monoceros**

**MissBrown22241**

**NummyCuppyCake**

**Sand-Jounin-Temari**

**SunaPrincess7**

**Willow (thanks for that quote too, I love Moulin Rouge)**

Chapter 11: Our Troublesome Happily Ever After

"Whaaa!!!!!" Came the baby wails from the other room. It was 3:45. And for parents who get four to five hours of broken and groggy sleep, this was too late or too early.

Temari punched her husband awake, yawning a mumbled. "Your son wants you."

"He's only my son from noon to seven." Shikamaru grumbled snuggling closer to his wife.

"Go get him before he wakes up his sist..."

"Mommy! Daddy!" Came a little girls voice crying from the opposite side of the hallway. Both parents groaned, smacking a hand on their foreheads.

Shikamaru jumped out of the bed, "I get Shikari."

Temari bolted from the bed trying, but failing, to beat her husband for the door, "No fair! She goes to sleep quicker!"

"Daughter like father."

"I'm not having sex with you anymore." The blonde growled, walking over to her son's room. "You give me evil children."

The flaxen haired man stopped dead in his tracks. _Sex or dirty diapers? _He looked over to his wife opening the door who shot back into the hallway moaning from the disgusting smell, "Honey I hope you enjoy celibacy."

She flipped him the bird, and bravely walked back into the bio hazardous room. He chuckled and walked into his two-year old daughter's room. It was painted a royal purple, and her mother had no decision in the color either. Her favorite colors just happened to be her mommy's and daddy's favorite colors.

"Daddy." Shikari reached up for her father, wanting to be picked up.

Shikamaru sighed, "Honey can I lay down. Mommy is going to be angry at me because I made her go change Shikano's diaper."

"Bad daddy." The blonde girl scowled at him, her dark brown eyes narrowing at him critically. She was too damn smart for her own age, even her speech couldn't catch up with her brain. But she scooted over on her twin sized bed. "Lay."

The man laid beside his little girl holding her gently in his arms, his body hanging off the side of the green and purple comforter. Her room looked like Barney barfed all over it, oh and how that great big dinosaur haunted his dreams. It was even worse when he was having a ummm 'private' dream about his wife and the fruity t-rex would barge into the room telling him that he should play safe and wear a helmet. He couldn't touch Temari for weeks. Okay more like days. Or hours...

"Wuv you daddy." Shikamaru looked down at his already sleeping daughter, she was the apple of his eye. What was with these women? They had him wrapped around their little finger, and he couldn't stop them, even he wanted too. Which he really didn't.

"Love you too my little troublesome monster." He kissed her tiny forehead and turned on the small frog nightlight, her uncle Naruto bought her. Thinking of uncles Shikamaru grabbed the old teddy bear that had fallen on the ground and put it back in his girl's arms. That's why she woke up. She could sleep through a war, but if uncle Gaara's teddy bear wasn't in her arms then all hell broke loose.

He walked back to the back bedroom, and peeked inside. Temari had Shikano carefully in her arms, who was feeding from her right breast. Though he was drifting of to sleep. To be honest at first Shikamaru was jealous of his little boy, Temari wouldn't let him touch her for the longest time, that's how Shikano got his name 'Shika no'. Though pronounced more smoothly.

But it wasn't always as hectic as it is now. When they first got married, they had a firm schedule. Wake up, eat breakfast, go to work, come home, eat dinner, have sex, and go to sleep. Those were the good old days. But after a while they were suspicious why no little 'miracles' were showing up. When Tsunade had told Temari that she couldn't have kids, that was the worst part of their marriage. Temari had locked herself in the bedroom for months, the only way she was surviving was that he forced her to eat. It hurt Shikamaru more than words could possibly describe, seeing her in so much pain and not being able to help her... It just about killed him. Then one day out of the blue she came hopping down the stairs as cheerful as a peach.

A year later they found out they were pregnant. Tsunade warned Temari that she would most likely die from it, there was only a five percent chance of survival. Shikamaru begged her to reconsider, but she smacked him straight across the face, and told him that she'd never kill their baby just so she could live. And she'd always tell him, 'Hey if I can survive through all the shit the world's dished out to me, pushing a watermelon sized kid through my vag will be a piece of cake.' And it was. Temari was in labor for nearly three hours before Shikari came into the world, she didn't cry at all. Not a single bit of difficulty. Thinking back on it, he can't believe he wanted to get rid of Shikari. That most precious beautiful troublesome little girl, life without her now seems impossible.

But Shikano on the other hand, had Temari in the hospital for months after he was born. Shikamaru was pushed out of the delievery room, and all he could hear was her screams of pain and the doctor's yelling 'she's hemoraging' 'we can't stop the bleeding'. But that troublesome woman wouldn't go without a fight, and like most fights she won.

In an instant he felt her weary eyes on him, and he found himself lost in her gaze as he often did.

"Come kiss him goodnight." She whispered to her husband.

He smirked deviously, "I will if I get to do what he was doing."

"We are both to fuc" Temari stopped herself, she had to curb her mouth after an instant with Shikari last week and the accursed f-bomb. "fudging tired to do anything."

Shikamaru grabbed his son, he was definitely going to be a lady killer and he would hate it. He had the same dark raven locks as his father, but had the brilliant sea washed eyes like his mother. Shikari didn't like the fact he had them either, since green was one of her favorite colors. Shikamaru laid him down in the large white crib, kissing him on the forehead just as he had with his daughter. It made him chuckle, he was once called Casanova by those in this village. Called by many names by his wife ranging from rat bastard to darling, and daddy by his children. Daddy and rat bastard were fine by him any day.

"Carry me to bed dear." His wife called out. She still radiated with a motherly glow, her body had become more curvy with carrying his children but all in the right areas. She never looked so beautiful. "You know I love it when you smile like that at me."

"Huh?"

She smiled that dazzling smile that made his heart shoot around in his ribcage, "That smile, it makes me feel like you love me the same as you did five years ago when we said 'I do'."

He shook his head, "Not true."

"Oh really." She stood up placing her hand on her hips, glaring at him. But still keeping her voice down so as to not wake the baby. "Well tell me then. I give you two beautiful children, a nice clean home, three meals a day. I still work, and with our rugrats it seems like three jobs. Tell me how how you don't love me as much."

"I love you more and more each day."

Temari scoffed, but a small smile crept on her face, "Troublesome man."

"That's my word, troublesome..." He stuck his hands in the pockets of his flannel pj bottoms, but took them out and stuck them out to her. "Do you want me to carry you or not?"

She giggled and jumped into his arms, and they went back into the room kissing each other sleepily. Temari buried herself into his chest wrapping a leg over his hip, and he just held her tight as he did every night. "I love you."

"Love you to honey."

With that they fell asleep, until 4:36.

"Whaaaa!!!!"

"Shikamaru..." Temari whined.

He smashed a pillow over his head, "He's not mine."

And they lived happily ever after... for the most part. Troublesome.

The End.

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**Well I know you guys were are wanting more, and I don't know at this point. Maybe there'll be a sequel maybe not. I have been without the internet for nearly a week, it's been horrible. I had originally wrote this chapter completely different. I had it spaced out with chunks of their life, but I was babysitting a three and four year old Thursday morning and so I rewrote it, thank goodness I got back the internet. **

**Makes me so sad that this is ending. :'(**

**But those readers who haven't realized about my other ShikaTema story, go check it out. It still has a couple good more chapters left in it. A Thousand Year War.**


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